Whose Crown?

Whose Crown?

We are all familiar with the verses from Matthew 2:1-8. Three Wise Men are following the Star that announced the birthplace of Christ the King. They stop at Herod’s castle to seek directions for the final leg of their journey.

Herod summoned the chief priests and inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. The priests responded with direction from scripture, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet.”

Herod then sent the Wise Men to Bethlehem and commissioned them to bring word back to him that he might go and worship Him also. They did not know that Herod was plotting to preserve his throne by murdering the helpless baby.

I believe that God was giving Herod one last chance. He could have joined the Wise Men, and then watched as they presented their gifts to the Christ Child, gold, frankincense, and myrrh. In dismay he would realize that he had no gift for the Newborn King. As the words Newborn King burned in his heart, he removes the crown from his head and places it in the manger, for this baby is indeed the King of kings!

What I want us to see this Christmas season is this: Both Herod and the Wise Men looked to scripture, but with different motives. Herod was seeking information for the preservation of his kingdom purpose on the earth. The Wise Men looked to scripture for inspiration and transformation, that God’s kingdom purpose would be established on the earth and in their lives.

Why do we search scripture this Christmas season? God’s word contains promises of healing, wholeness, financial provision, deliverance from oppression and depression, or anything that hell can inflict upon mankind. But do we seek these promises that we might maintain control and rule in our lives? If so, then we are clutching to our crowns! Or do we seek these promises that God might be glorified though His rule and reign in and through our lives as He uses us to establish His Kingdom purpose upon the earth? If it’s the latter, then we are placing our crowns in the Christ Child’s manger this Christmas.

It’s to my shame I must confess that on numerous occasions I have given the crown of my life to Jesus, only to discover some time later that I had taken it back and was wearing it again.  “Father-God, I ask that You give me grace to leave the crown of my life permanently in Christ’s hands this Christmas Season, in Jesus name!”