So you are a king?

God existed from the beginning — from before the beginning. I AM. 

Not I was then and am now. I always am. Three in one: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Thought, Word, Breath. Joined on a throne in heaven, with millions of angels singing “hallelujah” in continuum. He is.

Jesus — the Word — reigned, reigns, will reign. In a length and space that existed outside of time, He was worshipped by a multitude before the creation of our world. He was loved, adored, praised, magnified, for a time that was longer than our time. Earth didn’t exist to move around the sun. There was no moon to guide the months.

Until there was.

God created the universe with a decision, a word, a breath. He expended no energy to create all of ours. Every atom, every idea, every emotion He designed. And He ruled it. Not one flower bloomed outside His knowledge. Not one egg hatched that wasn’t in His plan. Not one rock rolled beyond the scope of His sovereignty.

He ruled. He created. He reigned. Then He set it all aside and embodied humility. He came to us.

And one day, as blood poured down His face, He looked one of His creations in the eye. And Pilate asked Jesus, “So you are a king?”

And one day, as blood poured down His face, He looked one of His creations in the eye. And Pilate asked Jesus, “So you are a king?”

***

So you are a king? He is the Prince of Peace, Lord of lords, King of kings. Surely Pilate would not have asked if he’d only known.

Surely.

But we know, and we still ask, do we not?

Disasters rupture the normalcy of our existence, and we shout, So you are a king?

Our hearts break into pieces, and we question, So you are a king?

Fears of the future creep in, and we ask, So you are a king?

We shake our fists, hang our heads, cry, yell, run. We doubt, we fear, we wonder, we test, we refuse. We make ourselves king because He seems insufficient. Because He seems distant. Because He seems too far, too simple, too demanding, too cruel, too humble, too forgiving, too perfect.

But He is. He was. He always will be. I AM.

The angel-worshipped, robe-wearing, throne-sitting, sea-calming, sight-healing, magnificent, humble, glorious, crucified Christ is King. And we are not.

So we can rest. And we can begin declaring now what we will declare for all eternity:

Great and amazing are your deeds,
O Lord God the Almighty!
Just and true are your ways,
O King of the nations!
— Revelation 15:3