The theme of the 2018 Church of the Lutheran Brethren Biennial Convention was “King me.” I remember when I learned to play checkers. What a relief it was to get a stone (piece) to the other side of the board and yell, “King me!” As a result, the stone operated very differently from all of the other “common” stones. The other stones could only move in one direction, and even then, their moves were restricted. The “kinged” stone on the other hand, could move in any direction without restriction. With this freedom of movement, the kinged stone could make a big difference in the game. It was playing in a different realm than the other stones.
When the kingdom of God comes to us through his Son Jesus, we are in a sense “Kinged.” No longer do we move in one direction trying to avoid destruction, hoping we make it to the other side to be “Kinged.” No longer are we living in the frantic belief that the unidirectional game we have been playing is all that there is, so we need to make the most of it for ourselves. Now we know that life is much more than a game. Now we are citizens of a different realm where life is not measured in years. We are free to measure life in terms of eternity.
Since our time on earth is short, and our mission here as his children is so important, we can afford to let go of those dreams we had for our earthly lives, knowing that their fulfillment in eternity will be much greater. In fact, as we engage in the mission of the Church to be the hands and feet of Jesus, as Christ is made real to those stones still playing the game, we enter into the biggest and best dream of all—that souls of incomparable worth are “Kinged” by the King.
As a Church, we have been asked by our King to allow him to transform our dreams for this life so that we can participate in that larger dream of “making disciples of all nations….” What a privilege to be part of that mission! What a joy to know that our Father is rejoicing over each lost soul that is “Kinged”—receiving a crown of eternal life!
Some of us can go and preach and teach the message of the King. All of us can give our gifts to send and support those who are willing and able to go. All of us can pray that God would open doors and hearts to the gospel.
“How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can anyone preach unless they are sent?” (Romans 10:14-15a).
“And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work” (2 Corinthians 9:8, ESV).
Roy Heggland is Associate for Biblical Stewardship for the Church of the Lutheran Brethren.