Devotionals
WHAT WILL YOU DO WITH THE CROWN?
Jesus said to the church in Smyrna: “Fear none of those things which you will suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that you may be tried; and you shall have tribulation ten days: be faithful unto death, and I will give you a CROWN of life” (Rev. 2:10).
Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy: “ I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a CROWN of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not only I, but unto all them also that love His appearing. “(II Timo 4:7, 8).
The reward of all our sufferings, testing of our faith, trials and tribulation is the crown of life. It is the comfort that is laid up for us, which we are going to receive, after we have patiently borne all these for the sake of Christ and the Gospel. The faithful God has promised and He will do it. But when we receive the crown, what are we going to do with it?
The crown is not a common object. It is not found on mean men, but on kings. You may not find more than a crown in a village. Whenever we see a crown, we know we see authority and dominion. When Christ shall give us our own crown, what are we to do with it?
“The four and twenty Elders fall down before Him that is sitting on the throne and worship Him that lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne saying, “you are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for you have created all things, and for your pleasure they are and were created” (Rev. 4:10-11).
The twenty-four Elders, having received their own crowns, in worship of Him who sits upon the throne cast their crowns before Him. They laid down their crowns and they themselves fell down and worship Him.David, the man after God's very own heart considered casting down of crown an act of profanity. But these elders went ahead and did the ridiculous to see the eternal King of glory glorified. What will you do with the crown?
The reason why God has not given many people the crowns due to them is that they know not what to do with it, when they receive it. If God should give them, the first thought that will arise from their heart is how to lift up their thrones beyond God’s. They will, like Lucifer, desire to be like the Most High God. They will be filled and deny God and say, “Who is the Lord?”
What will you do with the crown God has prepared for you?Will you honour Him with it? Okay, what are you doing with the little He has committed into your care? Every manna is a test. If you are found to be unfaithful in little things, who will give greater things to you? Do you honour God with your substance, which in them is no eternal value (and are nothing but a test of faithfulness to know if you will be worthy of eternal substance) or you hold tenaciously to them as if it is your strength that has provided them for you?
If God should offer you that glorious crown today, will your alter of prayer remain undesecrated as it was in times of troubles and trials? Will not God become that big man in the yonder heaven? Will not fellowship become “those days playground”? Will you still find pleasure in spending time to dine with Him in the word? Will it not become ridiculous to tell a sinner friend that ‘God loves you’? Will that great joy registered in heaven at your salvation not become otherwise? There is a crown for you, but what will you do with it?
“ Be faithful unto death” is Christ’s message to you. He requires faithfulness at all time. Now that you are sleeping under the comfort of your roof, it is very easy to claim obedience to the word. But you can never know the level of your faith or if you have any at all until you are face to face with fearsome circumstances. When such fearsome situation is positive, we are not always quick to know it can be a test of faith. Jesus is not looking for those who will only remain faithful as long as the desires of their heart are withheld from them.He is rather looking for those He will enthrone kings and yet, pitch their tents with common people; those to whom He will enthrust His heritage and yet will not make themselves lords over it .God truly knows that not all can afford to serve with a crown on their head.
It is when we magnify the troubles that we pass through that we do forget the power that sees us through and delivers us from them all. It is only when we realize our nothingness without our sufficiency coming from Him that we can say “Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto your name give glory, for your mercy, and for your truth’s sake “(Psalm 115:1). It is such songs as this that makes us worthy of His aboundant grace.
He is there standing before you with a crown for you in His hand and asking, “What will you do with the crown? “Your answer will determine what He will also do with the crown.
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