Seated with the King

Last night I attended an evening session at a conference at a church local to me. Since coming into an understanding of grace and of our unchangeable position as the righteousness of God in Christ, I have gone with an openness to receive from God, but prepared to spit out the bones of law that come. Yet, there is no doubt they are a people hungry for God, and the Lord honours that - so God was most definitely there last night, powerfully, touching His hungry people.

During the worship time, the musicians began to play the first bars of "My Jesus I love Thee, I know Thou art mine." But before they got to the first line of singing, a woman a few rows ahead began to sing out loudly in tongues, and then began to sing a spiritual song (something I have not known to happen in this church before - there has been corporate spiritual singing, but not someone taking a lead). The sister sang of Jesus as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

I found myself beginning to sing (although not so loudly, I haven't got a strong enough voice!!) of seeing the King upon the throne in all His beauty, majesty and glory. And then I felt His whisper in my heart -

"Come up here, and let Me put My cloak over you."

And then some scriptures began to hit me:

"You are seated with Me in heavenly places"

"My banner over you is love."

And then I was reminded of that scene in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe where the White Witch meets Edmund, and he is cold and needy, and she says to him - "come up here, and I will put my coat over you." In that scene, the Witch has evil intent, but Jesus does not - He loves us so much, and has called us to sit with Him in a place of intimacy, and authority. In Ruth 3, Boaz puts the hem of his cloak over Ruth as indication that he will care for her, and that he will be her Redeemer. Out of these things, the Lord spoke into my heart:

"Come and sit with Me, and let Me put My cloak over you. Come and be near, let Me cover you, let Me warm you, let Me embrace you and protect you. I am the King, and you are seated on My throne. You are safe and secure, as safe and secure as it is possible to be. You have been made righteous to receive My tender embrace.

And, come, sit down, look, see; see all the kingdoms of the earth. My Father has given them to Me, and I have purchased them with My blood. And as you sit with Me, I give them to you - you are My co-heir, and heir of the world with Abraham.

Come, sit, rest, stay - here in the place of intimacy and authority."

We are seated with Him! So amazing, so tender, and yet so powerful, as we rest in His embrace to enjoy and His authority to change the world!