Dear COA Family,
Today we celebrate Christ the King Sunday at the end of our church’s Liturgical Year.
Christ the King Sunday, also known as the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe, is a relatively modern feast in the Christian liturgical calendar. It was established by Pope Pius XI in 1925 through his encyclical Quas Primas. The feast was initially intended for the Roman Catholic Church but has since been adopted by many Protestant denominations, including Anglican,
Lutheran and Methodist.
It serves to affirm Christ’s authority over all creation – whether earthly rulers, political systems or ideologies, and emphasises Christ’s kingship as the culmination of God’s redemptive plan. This is especially important for us to remember as we see the turmoil going on in the world today.
Psalm 29:10-11 reminds us:
“The Lord sits enthroned over the flood;
the Lord is enthroned as King forever.
The Lord gives strength to his people;
the Lord blesses his people with peace.”
The term “flood” in the Old Testament often refers to the chaos going on in the political or physical world. Yet the Psalmist not only confidently declares the sovereignty of God in all situations, he also sees that the Lord goes on to sustain his people and bless them with his favour. We can put our hope and trust in God in all things!
As we come to the end of a most eventful and tumultuous year, let us examine our hearts:
– Are we frequently perplexed by the political climate of the world today, especially with the ever-increasing intensity of conflicts and wars?
– Are we constantly anxious about our family’s or our own livelihoods, not knowing if our lives will be stable and secure for us in the future?
– Are we consistently harassed by the pressures of coping with life’s demands such that the joy of the Lord is drained away from our hearts?
Perhaps you are focusing on the wrong thing. You are putting your hope and security in your own strength and capabilities and finding assurance in the circumstances of life instead of trusting in the Lord to provide you with all that is necessary. Your self-reliance and self-will have led to much anxiety and stress in your life.
Recently, I spoke with a parent. She shared with me that at the start of the year, she was very anxious for her son who was taking his PSLE this year. She was concerned for him to do well. As a result, she was constantly worrying and nagging him to revise his work. She had no peace in her heart.
It all changed when she decided to give over all of her worries to God. She recognised that her son was also God’s beloved child, and He will take care of him. She described that moment of surrender as “a huge weight that was lifted off her shoulders” and “a great sense of relief and peace”. She had learnt the blessing of trusting God and the way to enter into the peace of God.
May Christ the King Sunday today remind us that our Lord is in control in all things and, more than that, is working out all things for good in our lives (Romans 8:28).
Blessings,
Revd Ian