"And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren." Rom 8:28-29 NASB
There once was a city of fantastic splendor. Tall buildings, beautiful art, and great riches could be found there. But though its splendor was great, the city was evil. Its rulers acted like criminals, and its citizens lived in fear.
Unlike the rulers of the city, the king of the realm to which the city belonged was wise and patient. He had granted the city time to change its ways, but year after year the city’s sin grew greater. One day the king’s patience came to an end. "It is time," he said to his court. "I will appoint a new ruler for the city, one who will govern as I would."
The king turned to his messenger. "Go into the countryside. The first
man you see working in the fields before the sun has risen is to be brought to
me. Bring him through the city as you return."
The messenger did as he was commanded. One cold morning after several days of
riding, and just before sunrise, he saw a man working in a field. He called out,
"Hail farmer! I have come from the king!"
"What does my king want?" the farmer answered the approaching
messenger."
"He has need of you."
"And his purpose?"
"He will tell you when you arrive. He gives you this letter to carry for
your protection," the messenger said as he handed the farmer a letter.
The farmer opened it and read:
The bearer of this letter is under my protection. Treat him as you would my son.
This is my seal
The King
The farmer folded the letter and at once began to walk. "Are you coming
with me or not?" he asked the messenger. "I will not keep His Majesty
waiting."
Within a few days, the farmer and the messenger arrived at the west gate of
the city.
"Take care as we proceed, farmer," the messenger said. "If we
keep to ourselves, we will be safe."
It was good advice but not obeyed. For immediately after entering the city,
they heard a scream. The farmer turned to run toward the cry.
"Stop!" the messenger said, gripping the farmer’s arm. "It
is not our mission to heed such cries."
But the farmer broke free and answered sharply, "Any mission for a kind
king could not do otherwise! Let’s go!"
The messenger followed the farmer to an alley where they saw a woman huddled
in a corner. The farmer bent down to comfort her but was immediately surrounded
by three hooded figures waving knives.
"Welcome to our trap!" one of them sneered. "And good show, my
lady," he added, speaking to the woman. She stood and joined the attackers.
"Let this be a lesson to you," the woman mocked." "Don’t
meddle in other people’s business. Now give us your money!"
"As you wish," the farmer said, "but you should know that we
are under the king’s protection. Here is his letter---"
The thieves broke into loud laughter.
"The king? A letter of protection? Be serious, farmer! Your letter means
nothing to us!" With that the woman grabbed the farmer’s money and ran
away with her partners.
The two travelers stared after the disappearing thieves.
"Will you listen now to my advice?" asked the messenger.
"We will see, my friend," answered the farmer. "I make no
promises but to obey my king."
Making their way to the center of the city, the two men soon came upon a
horrible sight. In the park, a crowd had gathered around a man and a boy. The
boy knelt on the ground, covering his head with his hands. The man stood above
him with a whip, laughing as he brought it down on the boy’s bare back.
"I already know what you want to do," the messenger whispered to
the farmer. "You have a heart to meddle, do you not?"
The farmer left the messenger without reply, broke through the crowd, and
placed himself between the man and the boy. "Stop! What is the meaning of
this cruelty?""Meaning?" the man asked
"There is no meaning except that
this boy is a thief, and I am the sheriff. And you are in my way!"
"But has this boy had a trail?" the farmer asked boldly.
"Trial?" the sheriff laughed. "Obviously you are a stranger
here."
"That is true, Sheriff. But the king’s justice is not served without
trial."
"And who are you to challenge my justice?"
"A man on a mission for the king."
"Then you shall finish your mission in my jail!" The sheriff
grabbed the farmer and began to drag him away.
"But I am under the king’s protection! Here is his letter!" The
farmer pulled it from his coat.
"This letter is worthless!" laughed the sheriff as he read it.
"My jail can offer better protection!"
The farmer was led away to spend the night in jail. He lay awake until early
the next day when the sheriff threw him out into the street. The awaiting
messenger greeted him.
"Are you finally ready to continue without stopping for others on the
way?" he asked.
The farmer shook his head. "Kindness and justice are costly in this
city, I grant you. But such a promise cannot be kept. Not while I seek the
king."
The travelers could see the king’s castle in the distance as they left the
city through the east gate. There they approached two men in the road, arguing
loudly and waving clubs above their heads.
The messenger spoke first. "I am afraid to ask, farmer, but will you
seek peace between these men?"
The farmer paused. The attack of the thieves followed by the night in jail
tempted him to give up his love for people. And he had even begun to doubt the
king’s ability to protect him. But he knew no other course than that which his
heart had set.
"It is as you feat, messenger. But what else can I do?"
He led the way and approached the shouting pair. "Stop, men! Settle this
quarrel now before blood is shed!" He placed a hand on each man’s
shoulder.
"And whose side are you on?" one of asked angrily.
"I am on the side of the king. And I seek only what he seeks in this
matter --- peace. Please lay down your weapons."
The pair smiled at each other upon hearing the farmer. "Seems a fool has
stumbled into our fight, brother," one said. "What say we stop long
enough to get rid of him and his slave."
The messenger stepped forward to protest, but the farmer held him back.
"The king has given us his protection." The farmer held out the
letter for the pair to read.
Evil grins broke across their faces. "He has a letter from the king,
brother! And it says we should treat him like the king’s son. Shall we?"
Whereupon the brothers attacked the travelers, beating them cruelly and laughing
as they did so.
The beating stopped when the attackers got bored and left the pair to die. It
was not until late in the day that a member of the king’s court happened upon
the injured men and brought them back to the castle. The messenger was near
death, the farmer badly hurt but strong enough to move about.
"I must see the king." He moaned in pain.
The farmer’s wish was granted. As he was led to the court, he vowed to
withhold his anger at the way he was treated on his journey. But upon seeing the
king comfortably seated on his throne, the memory of the journey was too much to
bear.
"I left my peaceful home to obey your command!" he accused the
king. "And I traveled at great peril! I have been robbed, jailed, and
beaten! The citizens of the city, of your kingdom, are monsters! And worse
still, your letter of protection meant nothing! Why? Why?
The room was silent for several moments as the king gazed at the injured
farmer.
"Welcome." He said at last, seeing to ignore the man’s anger.
"I have been waiting for you. You are, as I thought, the man I need"
"For---for what, Your Majesty?" the farmer stuttered, confused by
the king’s greeting.
"Why, to rule the city, of course. You are a man of kindness and justice
and peace. This is what the city needs in a ruler. Do you not agree?"
"Yes but…." The farmer paused in disbelief. He was still hurt and
confused by all that had happened. "Your letter---why was I not
protected?"
"Come," the king commanded. "I will show you." He led the
farmer to a mirror beside the throne. "Do you see our images there?"
he asked.
"Yes."
"And what do you see?"
The farmer laughed softly. "I see a poor farmer clothed in rages, with cuts and bruises, standing next to a king in royal robes."
"True, farmer. But look again. This time look into your eyes. There you will see what was protected. For it was not your body that needed protection, but rather your heart, because you have been chosen to be my heir. My subjects’ evil actions toward you, born of their hatred for me, have refined and shaped you as a man. It had to be so, for you were meant to reign in my image."
The farmer gazed intently into the mirror. As he did so, his ragged clothes, his wounds, his bruised body all faded from view. What he saw was the man he had become—a man whose character could stand against the fires of evil. He had known the king’s protection after all. He knelt on grateful knees before the king.
"Come, my son," the king said as he laid his hands on the farmer’s head. "Your reign as prince has begun."
My Promise To You
There will be bumps and bruises in your life. Your heart may break; your friends may fail. I wish I could protect you from such things, but I can’t always do that. But I can promise you something more important. I promise I will always protect you from things that would keep you from becoming our King---Jesus.
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It is my prayer that you would be encouraged in your day-to-day walk and that you would be in the word everyday.
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