I was driving home from a doctor appointment the other day when this song came on the radio. I’ve heard it a few times recently, and the timing on this day, at this moment, wasn’t lost on me. I had asked for prayer from friends for this appointment, half joking that this would be doctor number 5,482.
Much of my prayer life over the last 14 years and 10 months has been consumed with asking for answers to health mysteries that, so far, doctors have yet to answer. God has yet to answer. I’d love to be able to say I trusted God from the first day all the way to this, that my faith never wavered, that I never took the reins from Him and tried to steer the cart in the direction I thought it should go. I’d love to say that. But I can’t.
And as I sang along, I heard the lyrics again…
“I try to take life back right out of the hands of the King of the world
How could I make you so small
When you’re the one who holds it all
When did I forget that you’ve always been the king of the world”
And I suddenly thought about Jack standing on the prow of the ship yelling out for all mankind to hear – “I’m the king of the world!”
Don’t we all stand inside our hearts yelling “I’m the king of the world!”? We all want to the be the king of our own world. Our pride drives us to it, and our fears expand our territory.
That’s the struggle. To drive or be driven by God. Those reins are so close, sometimes so loosely held by God, and if we want them bad enough He’ll hand them over and let us steer ourselves right into a ditch. And He’ll wait, and pray until we’re ready to reach up to Him, covered in the muck, asking Him to lift us out yet again. And He’s always right there, with love in His eyes, pulling us out, washing us off and setting us right back next to Him.
Whether we’re riding a ship, a cart, a race car or a skateboard, there’s only one rightful King of the world, of our world. And yes, the ride is bumpy and confusing and painful and sometimes feels excruciatingly long, but He knows where He’s going and how to get there. We can trust Him. After all, He was King long before there was a world and you and me.
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Genesis 1:1
“You will always be the King of the world…”
