The news is horrific, isn’t it? Suffering abounds. We’re in agony for many whose daily existence is threatened. We find ourselves praying, “God, please help me as I suffer. Please help our world and Your people.”
Who are we praying to, beloved in Christ?
Maybe today we need to remember who is King…over all, at all times.
Rejoice, we have hope…Jesus is King!
…far above ALL rule and authority and power and dominion, and above EVERY name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come (Eph. 1:21, emphasis added).
He changes times and seasons, he removes kings and sets up kings (Dan. 2:21).
The Alpha and Omega (Rev. 1:8) is reigning right now, ruling over ALL, including the prowling enemy (1 Pet. 5:8) whose power is completely subject to His authority…all means all!
His kingdom cannot fail,
he rules o’er earth and heav’n;
the keys of death and hell
are to our Jesus giv’n.
(“Rejoice, the Lord is King!,” Wesley, C., 1744)
Jesus is King of kings and Lord of lords!
We can release our fears and needs into the hands of our Savior and Lord, King Jesus. As we look to the cross, we can take all of our doubts and questions to His throne of grace. When the disciples physically saw Jesus in resurrected glory, they worshiped Him, but some doubted. Let’s take to heart His comforting words to them, about our own situation and about this world:
Jesus the Savior reigns,
the God of truth and love;
when he had purged our stains,
he took his seat above.
What a wonder of His peace, of His grace, as the Lord of lords and King of kings (Rev. 17:14) lifts our hearts to His reigning seat above.
And you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority (Col. 2:10).
No matter what happens, we can rest in the truth of His Word. We can know He is seated on His throne, accomplishing His redemptive kingdom work, even in these evil situations. I’ve read firsthand reports that people are becoming believers in Christ in this time of deep suffering! Hallelujah! King Jesus is our hope, now and forever.
Praying to our King
He sits at God’s right hand
till all his foes submit,
and bow to his command,
and fall beneath his feet.
Because God’s Word is true, because Jesus is OUR King, ruling and reigning over His invisible kingdom by His victory over sin and death on the cross, we’re participating in a weighty thing going on, even as we suffer today. He’s building His everlasting kingdom, in this generation!
We know the end of His kingdom story, don’t we? One day, King Jesus will return in glory to judge this fallen world of sin and He will restore all things in the new heaven and earth. All evil and sin will be gone! It feels impossibly hard to wait, but He tells us that:
With the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promises as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance (2 Pet. 3:9 ESV).
Rejoice in glorious hope!
Our Lord, the Judge, shall come,
and take his servants up
to their eternal home.
We have hope in such a time as this as we pray to Jesus, our King
So, right now, in this period of our Lord’s redeeming work, as He powerfully brings people from this generation to Himself through the gospel (Rom. 1:16), we who suffer somehow have a special role in furthering His kingdom. What is He calling you to right now, dear sister? We’re suffering, but we’re still alive here, living in a fallen world with people who don’t know…Jesus is King.
I wonder if one of our greatest callings as suffering believers is…prayer. Prayer for others can be our vital and purposeful ministry of love, as we suffer.
“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” (Mt. 6:9-10 ESV).
Our King has us here, appointed for such a heavy time as this, even as we suffer in this groaning world of sin and its effects. Like Esther, let’s come to our King Jesus boldly and confidently, because, as those in Christ, He’s given us the incredible gift to draw near to His throne of grace and powerful authority.
Material adapted from Near to God: A Devotional Bible Study of God’s Character in Our Suffering, Lauri A. Hogle. Copyright © 2022, Singing Christ’s Hope.
A playlist to praise and hallow our good and gracious King as we pray
We lament for children and grandchildren, we ache for loved ones, we weep for suffering believers around the world. But as we remember Jesus’ death and victorious resurrection, let’s not give up hope! He is our good and gracious King! He is on His throne and He is bringing people into His kingdom! Today!
Lift up your heart, lift up your voice!
Rejoice, again I say, rejoice!
Let’s pray to our King of kings and Lord of lords with urgency, praising Him for His kingdom authority and kingdom work of salvation. When I’m tempted to worry or complain or despair, I’m continually asking Him to give me a kingdom perspective, with all hope as a believer in Christ. Hymns and Scriptural songs always help me to lift up my heart to the Lord when suffering squeezes.
So, this week, I’ve created a hope-filled playlist of praise and prayers to our King. It’s gospel-centered, Christ-exalting, focusing on His kingdom work in our hearts and in this world, even as we suffer. He tells us to “continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving” (Col. 4:2). Sometimes it’s hard to find words when we suffer, so this playlist gives us sung prayers.
If you’d like to join me in this ministry work of prayer as we suffer, sign up and I’ll send the YouTube playlist to you, with lyrics you can sing to the Lord as you pray, re-finding hope in Christ our King as you pray for so much. “To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!” (Rev. 5:13 ESV)
