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Greetings and Salutations, reader,
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Welcome to February! Hopefully you are continuing with any New Year's Resolutions and/or daily time in the Word & prayer. If you need a Bible Reading plan, grab one off of the Riverwood website, or use one built in to the YouVersion Bible app.
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This week, Erin continues our new email-only series The Work of Jesus by helping us realize that one of the "works" of Jesus is to rule and reign as King over the Kingdom of God. Hopefully, this truth will bring you some comfort and peace this week!
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Jesus Reigns
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In C.S. Lewis' famous book The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, Mr. Beaver mentions Aslan to the four Pevensie children. Upon hearing Aslan's name, something stirred within Peter, Edmund, Susan, and Lucy. So they begin to inquire about this yet-to-be-known "Aslan."
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When they find out Aslan isn't a man, but rather a lion, Susan admits fear. She can't help but ask, "Is he safe?" To which Mr. Beaver replies,
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"Safe?" said Mr. Beaver; "'Course he isn't safe. But he's good. He's the King, I tell you."
― C.S. Lewis, "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe"
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Many humans want to see Jesus the same way Susan hoped Aslan would be. We want meek & mild Jesus to be our best friend who hears our prayers and gives us health, wealth, and happiness.
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But Jesus is so much more. "He's the King, I tell you!" Jesus, right now, is reigning over all things. Because...
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- ...when a circlet of thorns was jammed onto his brow, He was crowned King over All.
- ...when He was nailed to a cross and raised on high, the King took His throne.
- ...when a spear pierced His side, His body and blood became the food and wine of the King's feast.
As Philippians 2:8-11 says, because Jesus went through the cross, He was raised on high, so that at the name of Jesus, every knee would bow and tongue confess that He is the King. That's why Jesus, before His ascension, said that all authority had been given to Him (Matthew 28:18).
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Now, I suspect you may be thinking that the unjustness of the world, or the chaos around you, is "evidence" that Jesus is not ruling and reigning. "Maybe one day," you think to yourself, "but it just doesn't feel like it right now."
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But think about that for a second. A good earthly king would not condone everything happening within his kingdom, yet he is still reigning to the farthest corners of his territory. Likewise, just because you might find yourself in an awful situation, or life isn't going according to "plan," doesn't mean Jesus isn't reigning. He most certainly is reigning - and doing so perfectly.
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The question is, will you trust Him? Will you trust that even though your situation may not be what you longed for, King Jesus will one day make "all things work together for good" for you (Romans 8:28) if you are part of His Kingdom? Because He is so much better than just a "safe" King. He is good. And this good King is perfectly reigning over all things, including you.
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Volunteer at Riverwood
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Have a heart to serve at Riverwood Church? Check out this list of areas to serve and help us grow deeper with the mission God has given us at Riverwood. Or, shoot us an email, and we'll help you get connected!
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Food Pantry
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Mark your calendars for Tuesday, Feb. 14 for the next mobile Food Pantry opportunity. Sign up to help with the 4:15pm setup shift, or come for the 5:30pm distribution shift.
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Elder Sabbatical
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Just a note to let you know that Luke Anderson will be taking a 4-month sabbatical from his elder duties at Riverwood, per the "Rest for Elders" section in our bylaws. We will still see him at Worship Gatherings and serving in a variety of other capacities, however.
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Annual Report
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If you haven't grabbed a copy of Riverwood's Annual Report 2022, you can download it here.
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