“If I were king . . .” Perhaps that line reminds you of the cowardly lion from the Wizard of Oz singing proudly, “If I were king of the forrrrest, not queen, not prince, not duke . . .” The song is about what a frightened lion would do if he weren’t so frightened. Everyone would bow to him!

What would you do if you were king? You could enjoy the pleasures of living in the lap of luxury. You would have the best foods, accommodations, and entertainment, not to mention the prestige and respect. And you know what? That would be your right! After all, you would be the king!

Revelation describes the King of kings, Jesus: “To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, and has made us to be a kingdom and priests” (1:5,6). Christ rules in our hearts through faith, rules the church by his grace, and rules the whole world by his power. Yet the most incredible thing about our King is in how he showed his power. He laid it aside on the cross so that we might be kings and priests. You have no cowardly lion for a king. Instead, you have the Lion of the tribe of Judah as your King—the One who never backs down in his protection of his children, in the preservation of their faith, and in the pursuit of their salvation!

There’s no reason to be cowardly with a King like Christ!