A Child of the King

My Father is rich in houses and lands,  He holdeth the wealth of the world in His hands!
Of rubies and diamonds, of silver and gold, His coffers are full, He has riches untold.

Chorus:
I’m a child of the King, A child of the King:
With Jesus my Savior, I’m a child of the King.

My Father’s own Son, the Savior of men, Once wandered on earth as the poorest of them;
But now He is pleading our pardon on high, That we may be His, when He comes by and by.

I once was an outcast stranger on earth, A sinner by choice, an alien by birth,
But I’ve been adopted, my name’s written down, An heir to a mansion, a robe and a crown.

A tent or a cottage, why should I care? They’re building a palace for me over there;
Though exiled from home, yet still may I sing: All glory to God, I’m a child of the King.

Since Father’s day is fast approaching, I thought I would try and include a reference to our Heavenly Father in the Hymn of the week.  Although this hymn may come across as bragging to some, I like the thought of being a child of the King.  It doesn’t say we have become a king ourselves, but we have become part of God’s royal family because we are His children.  The Bible says that we have been grafted into the vine, and have become sons and daughters of God (2 Corinthians 6:18).  If our focus is on who our Father is and we are confident in what He can do for his children, I don’t have any problem with thinking of ourselves as children of the King.  If, however, we use this phrase in an arrogant manner (I am better than you because I am a child of God) or to look down upon someone, then I think we really have the wrong perspective of what this song is trying to say.

The phrases I want to comment on this week are:

• Wandered on earth – This is one of the times I have to disagree with the hymn’s author.  I don’t believe Jesus ever “wandered” as I interpret wandering.  It may have appeared to some that His journey was “haphazard,” but I believe every step He walked and every place He went, He went with a purpose.  Those purposes may have been to encourage, to heal, to pray, or to spend time with His Father.  But I don’t believe He wandered aimlessly.  I am reminded of the Scripture where the Bible says in John 4 (in the King James Version), that Jesus must “needs” go through Samaria.  The following verses tell of an encounter with a Samaritan women at the well.  Jesus met a women at the well, at an unusual time of day, and proceeded to have a conversation with her about her life and about “living water.”  I like to think that the “need” to go through Samaria was to meet with this particular woman.  From her testimony of her encounter with Jesus, the Bible says that many of the Samaritans believed on Him.  This trip to Samaria may have looked like “wandering” to His disciples or to others, but I believe Jesus went there with a purpose in mind.

• Sinner by choice – One of the key theological truths of Scripture is referred to as “original sin” and it essentially means that because of the “Fall of man” and Adam’s “original sin,” that all mankind is born a sinner.  This is fundamental to our theology for many reasons including the fact that we believe that sin entered the world through one man, and therefore that redemption comes through one man – Jesus Christ.  The Bible says “All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.”  I wholeheartedly agree with this truth that we are all born sinners.  However, I also agree with the statement in this hymn that we are sinners “by choice” as well.  There is an age that we reach where we know right from wrong, but we choose to do wrong nonetheless.  The Bible says “To him that knoweth right and doeth it not, to him it is sin.”  We are sinners by birth, but also sinners by choice whether we like to admit that all the time or not.

I’ve always found it interesting to ask people who they think my kids look like.  I tend to think Tyler and Maddie look like Sheri, while I think Grace looks like me.  However, many people have said they see a resemblance of me in Tyler too.  Sheri has a strong resemblance to her late mother, and she has always said that I look like my Dad.  I have also noticed that children tend to pick up personality traits and mannerisms from their parents in addition to their looks.  For example, Sheri will tell you that I drive a car exactly like my Dad.  In my own family, Grace has a laid-back, sweet, and kind disposition like me.  Tyler has, let’s say, a little more “personality” like his mother.   Maddie is just, well, Maddie.

Since this hymn reminded me that we are part of God’s family, I asked myself – Do I have a “family resemblance” to my heavenly Father?  Do I share in any of His traits?  Here are just a few of the character traits that our Heavenly Father has:  Long-suffering, Patient, Merciful, Loving, Forgiving, Tender-hearted, and Wise.  He is a Provider, Protector, Creator, Shepherd, and as I wrote about a few weeks ago, a Friend.   I am sure you could think of several more of God’s qualities as well.

So, who do you look like?  I’m sure you will think of someone in your family (Mom, Dad, siblings, and maybe even grandparents), but more importantly, ask yourself “Do others see a “family” resemblance in me?” “Do I look like royalty – a child of the King?”   If so, which one of the King’s qualities are you showing to others?  As the old saying goes, you may be the only Jesus someone ever sees.  I pray that all of us will share a close resemblance to our Lord and the kinds of qualities He displayed while on earth.  Don’t you?