REIGNING WITH JESUS
Helen of Troy—the legendary queen, with “the face that launched a thousand ships.” When Paris, Prince of Troy, kidnapped her, Helen’s husband Menelaus, king of Sparta, pursued her with one-thousand Greek vessels, led by his brother Agamemnon. The Trojan War ensued. Imagine being so highly esteemed, that two armies fought a war for you?
But that pales in comparison to how much your Creator values you. He didn’t merely launch a thousand ships to rescue you. He “launched” his Son from heaven to bring you back to him! First Timothy 2:6 states, “He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone.”
But there’s more to Helen’s story. One of the myriad of legends records that this queen later developed amnesia, and forgot her identity. She wandered the streets as a prostitute, and would have died there, had not a Greek man gone in search for her. Walking past the waterfront one day, he spied a woman, dressed in rags. Something seemed familiar about her. Approaching her, he looked into her eyes, and then at her hands.
“Helen!” he cried. “You are Helen! Do you remember?” According to legend, this jolted her into reality, and her memory returned. Discarding her tattered clothes, she assumed her true identity as Queen Helen.
At times, we wander through this world stricken with amnesia, forgetting our greatness in God’s eyes. As followers of Jesus, we are kings and queens—co-regents with Him. Romans 5:17 states that when we receive God’s grace, we “reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ!”
Ephesians 2:6 is even more amazing, declaring, God has “seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus.” How is that possible—to be alive on earth, and yet seated with him in heaven? I don’t really understand it, except that God is not limited by time and space, as we are. God said it, so I accept it as true.
Even if we don’t feel like kings and queens, or act like royalty, that doesn’t change our God-given identity one single bit. Helen of Troy was still a queen, even as she walked the streets as a prostitute.
How easily we forget our royal position, and, like Helen, prostitute ourselves for the “goodies” of this world. Through Jesus, our destiny is to reign with Him—in this life, and in eternity. Remember who you are. You were created for greatness.
Principle: Our destiny is to reign with Jesus—in this life, and in eternity.
Promise: God has seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ.
Ponder:
On a scale of one to ten, how much do I believe I am a co-regent with Christ?
What sort of things cause me to develop “spiritual amnesia” and forget my God-given identity?
Pursue: For a deeper dive, study Ephesians 2:4-10.
Prayer: “Lord Jesus, thank you for the blessing of allowing me to reign with you. In the midst of my struggles, help me stay focused on my identity as your co-regent.”