It's not just any story. It's the story of a king - THE King. My king.
“Christ” in Greek and “Messiah” in Hebrew both mean “anointed one,” which usually referred to the king.
So, saying, “Jesus Christ” (Mark 1:1) is saying “Jesus the anointed one” or…."Jesus the King." (or Jesus King.) What does that make me feel?
“This is the beginning of the good news of Jesus the King, the Son of God.”
A king is a kind of novelty for me. Having real kings hasn't worked out so well for our world overall. Most real kings haven't been good kings. We only find truly good kings in fairy tales, so our western countries (mostly?) got rid of kings. Presidents and prime ministers also aren't 100% good, but at least they're temporary.
But fairy tales tend to have truth in them. They express or reveal truths about us and our hearts, about ourselves, about how we wish things were.
And in my heart I know that a truly good king would be a good thing. My heart sings when I think of it. A good king, ruling over an enchanted kingdom. Our experience has been the opposite, and yet, it is still in my heart.
Jesus Christ - Jesus the king - the Son of God. (Mark 1:1)
You are a perfect, good king, like only the Son of a righteous, just, and loving God can be. You are the King my heart longs for.
A king inevitably has a kingdom and he rules over it. So, if You are King, You have a kingdom; and I am either in Your kingdom and under Your rule, or I am outside Your kingdom and outside Your rule. I can't be in Your Kingdom and outside Your rule. Much as I am tempted to try it sometimes.
Accepting You is accepting You as King. Believing in You is believing in You as King. That means letting You rule - reign - in my life. Today, right now.
You are not a president for me to disagree with, to threaten to vote out of office if I don't like Your policies. To try to get You to do things my way.
How I want You to do things my way sometimes!
But I don't, really.
I believe You are King. That's why I read this book. That's why I live in Siberia. My belief in You as King has affected so much of my life.
But still some days I struggle to let You be King - some days I forget that even the ordinary days and the ordinary decisions fall under Your authority. It's easier sometimes to let You be King in the big things - I know they have big consequences - and to keep some rulership for myself in the smaller things that don't seem as consequential.
But I know small things can have great consequence, too.
And even small consequences can make big waves.
I really do want you to rule over all of me. In spite of the struggle.
Be my King today. Help me to LET You be me King today.