Reporting to the King

 In a recent group meeting discussing God's Guidance, I mentioned that I have trouble relating to Christ the King, as kingship is so foreign to my own experience.  But someone in the group pointed out that the function or duty of a good king was to protect the borders of the land from enemies, to ensure the safety and welfare of his people, and to promote goodness throughout the land.  

With that in mind, I did slowly begin to see my own property -- i.e., my concerns and areas of influence-- as a corner of Christ's kingdom, and I realized that each morning or evening, I could (and should) do a status report on the state of affairs under my domain.  Genesis tells us that the Lord God put Adam in the garden to "work it and take care of it."  I think maybe in our daily lives, we are more concerned with working it than taking care of it.  

And herein comes the story of the two trees in the garden:  we can work it and take care of it via our own knowledge and wisdom, our scientific viewpoint --- or we can work and take care of our gardens under the wisdom and knowledge of the One Who created it and Who knows how it operates.  One is the way of Life, and one, the way of gradual but certain death, as our environmental conditions are telling us today.

Most people are somewhat shy of prayer as an operating system for the universe, so we tend to do the best we can with what we have.  But the latest report from the G20 summit on climate control tells us that the richest countries in the world can do little for the planet without the cooperation of Russia and China, two of the major players.  Mary has asked since 1917 for prayer for the conversion of Russia, and her words may mean that our own lives are in the mix.  

Those who do not know how to pray -- and I think all of us are included in that category -- can begin by thinking of prayer as a "status report" on the section of the kingdom under our control, asking for wisdom from the Chief Executive Officer and the Chief Operating Officer for our daily operations.  And He will not mind sending us His own Spirit to guide us:  He teaches sinners the way (Ps. 25).  And while we are awaiting instructions, it might be helpful to search out the Psalms for assurance that He does hear and answer our prayer.

In all thy ways, acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths (Proverbs 3:5).