Prayer for Christ the King Sunday

Collect for the Last Sunday after Pentecost
Christ the King

Almighty and everlasting God, whose will it is to restore all things in your well-beloved Son, the King of kings and Lord of lords: Mercifully grant that the peoples of the earth, divided and enslaved by sin, may be freed and brought together under his most gracious rule; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

testimony that conquers

And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. (11) And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death. (12) Therefore, rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to you, O earth and sea, for the devil has come down to you in great wrath, because he knows that his time is short!” (Revelation 13:10-12)

This passage from today's epistle reading stirred me, in part because we plan on asking various men share their testimonies this weekend at our Men's Retreat - but also with regard to that ministry of division and slander and accusation that the evil one engages in day and night.

I wonder if the victory of the brothers and sisters referenced here through the word of their testimony is as much about being encouraged and redirected and edified through the testimony of another than about me having a testimony that I rehearse in the face of demonic, devilish whisperings or all-out accusation.

Just by personal experience, I am often very strengthened hearing a brother or sister share how God has worked in their life, how they trust God more deeply, how they are gaining victory over sin and fear through faith in Christ - which of course brings us to the main point, or person, Christ. He is the Conqueror, the Victor. All such conquering testimony will be, in some measure, His testimony.

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One way to work on our testimony is to keep this outline in mind: before, how, after. Try to be able to share it in a couple of minutes; begin by trying to write it out on one page.
1. What was my life like before Christ - saved me / changed me / healed me... ? (does not have to be just the salvation event.
2. How did Christ change me / save me / heal me... ?
3. What has my life been like since? particularly in that area I'm reflecting on

Eg. I was very self-centered and self-sufficient, all of my life, including religion was focused around me - looking good, getting ahead, being okay in the eyes of the world. Christ revealed himself to me both as Savior and Lord; he loved me so much I couldn't believe it - it really humbled me, and he was by right my King and Lord. I yielded to his love and to his reign. I still struggle with self-centeredness, but the big direction of my life, and then all the components, I am living for him and for love. Deep down I am okay, at peace, loved and led by God; slowly, that is working its way out...

Transfigration?

The Gospel reading for today's Daily Office reading is the parable of the weeds. In his explanation Jesus says that at the close of the age, the Son of Man will send his angels who will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin (scandalon) and all law-breakers, and

Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father.
(Matthew 13:43)

This reminded me of our recent discussion on the Transfiguration, as a part of which we also discussed 2 Corinthians 3:18 -

And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed [transfigured] into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

And also of the last chapter of Daniel:

And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever. (Daniel 12:3)

Wow, kind of blows me away. Hard to think about. It's not about me, my reward, my shining, my having a secured place in the secure place. But remembering that the when Paul says, "beholding the glory of the Lord," it can also be translated as "reflecting the glory of the Lord," that helps me. Both the beholding and the reflecting. It is the glory of the Lord, the brilliant light that enlightens all, and will be the light of the new Jerusalem, that transforms me and us and all things.

Thanks be to God.