King of my Heart

"I will praise you, Lord, will all my heart;

before the 'gods' I will sing your praise."

Psalm 138:1

They wanted a king.  For years, God had been the rightful Ruler of Israel, sending Judges to help turn the hearts of the people back to Him, but leading them as their ultimate King.  Now, however, these wayward people decided they wanted a king of flesh.  It was more important to them that they look like the rest of the world than it was for them to live life the way God had designed them to live.  Therefore, they demanded a king.

Upon their request, the Lord instructed Samuel to warn them of the pitfalls of their demands.  The human king would take, take, take; claim their sons for war, their daughters for royal service, their servants and prime livestock for his own use, and a tithe to benefit his own larder.  Most alarming was the prediction that the people would become like slaves to the king.  Still, they wanted their earthly king.  (1 Samuel 8)

In the same way the people of Israel rejected God as their king, I often do the same.  How can Jesus be the King of my heart?

Respect.  One of the most amusing scenes in the classic movie, "The King and I," is when the main character, Anna, is confronted with the custom that every man or woman in the king of Siam's presence prostrate themselves before him.  She watched his subjects, wives and children put themselves in ridiculous contortions in an attempt to show respect for their king by keeping themselves lower than he.  In the end, Anna refused to go through such ridiculous practices and agreed to simply bow when coming into his presence.

The position of a king demands respect, and Jesus is no different.  If I am to make Him king of my heart, it is important that I revere Him as worthy of all glory, giving up my own desire to take credit for anything good in my life.  This means I'll also treat Him the way He should be regarded, guarding His name as precious and considering His commands as important.

While it is not necessary for me to bow to Jesus, my heart must always be inclined to Him if I am to make Him King of my heart.

Surrender.  A kingdom is all about the king and fulfilling his desires.  This is why the Magna Carta, the groundbreaking document signed in 1215 between the barons of medieval England and King John, was such a big deal.  This forerunner to the U.S. Constitution secured liberty for the people, lawfully protecting them from a king's tendency to abuse his power at the cost of his subjects and giving rights to the people for the first time in world history.

As a resident of the kingdom of God, everything is about Him.  Instead of abusing His position like an earthly king does, bullishly taking the helm, however, God is a king who waits for His own to willingly bow to His plans and purposes.  When I make Jesus the king of my heart, then, it is up to me to place Him in that position as Lord, allowing Him to have full access to my heart. (Romans 10:9)  When I do so, I will no longer demand to get my way but over time I will find myself desiring His plan above my own, trusting that His way is better than my own.        

Residing in the kingdom of God means willingly surrendering to God and His good plans and purposes that go way beyond my own.

Loyalty.  My dog looks lovingly into my eyes, wanting nothing more in life than to please me.  He tries so hard to do my bidding and greets me with great enthusiasm every time I walk through the door.  In contrast, my cat can take me or leave me.  If he's in the mood, he'll greet me with an upright tail and friendly rub against my ankles.  If he's comfortable where he is, however, he'll stay put until he's good and ready to move.

A dog is known for loyalty because his heart is set on pleasing his master while a cat is more of a connoisseur of comfort, looking mostly to fulfilling his own desires.  When it comes to my relationship with the Lord, I would like to be more like my fully committed dog than my flaky cat.  When my heart is devoted to pleasing my King, I will set my own agenda aside and instead go after God's.  I will delight in His Word, knowing it is the very source of joy.  (Psalm 1:2)  I will be all in, wanting to live life His way even if it means sacrificing my comfort, my security or my rights.  The treasure of knowing Jesus Christ will surpass anything known to man.  (Philippians 3:8)

As a loyal subject in God's kingdom, I am committed to His agenda, not my own.

If I want to make Jesus King of my heart, I will need to respect Him, surrender my rights to Him, and remain loyal to Him.  In these ways, I will reside in the Kingdom of God and enjoy Him forever.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can trust God enough to put myself completely in His hands.

When do I rule my own life instead of letting Jesus take that position?

How am I guilty of disloyalty in my heart, valuing other pursuits and beliefs as more important than Jesus?