As I was driven to the graveside service, I remember thinking, “I’ve never been this way before.” I was sixteen and going to the burial of my mother. In fact, I had been on this same road countless times. It was the road to the school where my mother had worked. But this time, I wasn’t with her and I never would be again. This new way of living wasn’t at all what I wanted. I felt alone. My father had worked out of state most of my life and he would be returning to his job many hours distant the following week. This isn’t how I had envisioned my life. Yet all of this worked together to redirect me to a college that I never would have attended had my mother lived. At that college, I met my future husband. I’ve had a full and interesting life since those dark days. Looking back, I see the good things that God was steering me toward.
We’ve all been deeply disappointed. We felt that it wasn’t supposed to be like this. Things didn’t turn out at all as we had hoped, or expected. Being human means that we’re at risk of losing people we love, pets, health, hopes, abilities, opportunities, and the list of losses goes on. The older we get, the more life experiences can disappoint us. Did you know that the Christmas story itself was rife with disappointments and it set the stage for a huge disappointment some thirty years later?
“He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. And he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his Kingdom will never end!” Gabriel told Mary in Luke 1:32-33
Folks in first-century Israel were anxiously awaiting their Messiah to come and throw off the cruel yoke of Roman occupation. Especially those closest to Jesus. After all, right before Mary was impregnated by the Spirit of God, she had been promised by the mighty angel, Gabriel, that her son would sit on the throne of his ancestor David.
No one could blame the oppressed citizens of Israel for hoping for a Deliverer from the harsh Romans. They just didn’t understand that the Deliverer was mightier than they imagined. He would deliver generations of sufferers from the tyranny of Satan and the fear of death.
No one could fault the Jews for hoping for a better King than the murderous one the Romans had appointed. They just didn’t understand that their King would be more than the ruler of Israel. He would be King of the hearts of millions from every tribe and nation and language.
But he never ruled Israel during his earthly lifetime altho he had the backing of many who wanted him to be king. Those close to him, those who admired him, and those who hated him all thought he would rule. So there was immense disappointment when Jesus refused to be made king. They were disappointed in Jesus because their hopes were too small. He came to bring more than they could imagine.
No one would have ever dreamed that the heir to the throne, the Messiah, would be executed. What of all the hopes Mary held for her Son reigning forever? What about the prophecies about the Messiah ruling eternally? How could this possibly be God’s plan? Even foreigners recognized him as ‘King of the Jews’ at his birth and at his death. The Wise Men from the East knew his rank and so did Governor Pilate, the Roman, who commanded it to be written on the official document above Jesus’ head on the cross.
Things are rarely as we see them because we see in a limited way. So we live by faith, not by sight. No wonder it was/is so hard to believe. There was/is so much happening beyond what the human eye could perceive or the human mind conceive.
Even loving, steadfast Joseph didn’t believe Mary about the cause of her pregnancy. It took an angel to convince him that the pregnancy really wasn’t of human origin, but directly from God.
Later on, Jesus’ own parents didn’t understand what he meant when he told them he had to be in his Father’s house (the temple) when he was 12.
His brothers didn’t believe in him until after his resurrection.
His neighbors in the community he grew up in were offended when he claimed deity.
“Then they scoffed, “He’s just the carpenter’s son, and we know Mary, his mother, and his brothers—James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas.” Mathew 13:55
Although Jesus disappointed those wanting a King and kingdom right then and there, he was and is ruling a kindgom. I’m a citizen of that kingdom right now. So are all the other believers past and present. We are citizens of the Kingdom of God, sometimes referred to as the Kingdom of Heaven. We already enjoy many of the benefits of that heavenly kingdom right now on Planet Earth. King Jesus reigns in our hearts right this minute. We experience the King present in our lives as he shows us his loving care, his power to deliver, his faithfulness and promise-keeping, his provision, and so much more.
But if our highest priority is being safe, happy, and comfortable, we will wonder where God is when we’re unsafe, or unhappy, or uncomfortable. We will feel disappointed in God for allowing the threat to steal our safety, or the disruption to hijack our happiness, or the unpredictable circumstances to commandeer our comfort. Doesn’t God care?
But if our highest priority is walking close to God, then when we’re unsafe, unhappy, or uncomfortable we’ll snuggle in closer and get even more of what we truly want- his closeness. We feel his strong, loving, comforting Presence and know that our safety, happiness, and comfort are found in him who never leaves us.
And on top of all this, someday we will see him rule with our own eyes. Faith will finally give way to sight when Jesus does come back to earth to reign.
He came in obscurity and humility two thousand years ago.
He will come in full view of everyone in glorious power.
Only a few knelt before him at his birth.
Every knee will bow at his second coming.
Only a part of the prophecies were accomplished in his first coming.
All the rest of the prophecies will be fulfilled at his second advent.
He was a helpless Babe.
Then he will be a conquering Warrior.
He was unimpressive.
Then he will be admired by all.
He was under human authority.
Then he will be holding all authority.
Maranatha! Even so come quickly, Lord Jesus!
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