Crown of glory 

Matthew 27: 28-29

They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head.

On September 19th, 2022, I sat in a friends lounge with other friends watching the funeral service and procession of HMR Elizabeth II. The royal crown was on display and I remember people were having arguments and memes about the crown and the origin of its jewels.

My gazed fixed on the procession these words were imprinted on my spirit, “ He died in agony. Mocked as He walked to the cross. Scoffers and scorners lined the path; a crown of thorns He wore and he drank the cup of bitterness. Yet coffins of kings and queens are displayed with crowns of jewels as we honour them with ceremonial funeral processions, but this is just temporal.

He died a painful cursed death so that we may live and receive our crowns of glory some day.

I set with these words for months pondering over it and I was reminded of the crown I handed over to my daughter on her 21st birthday and what it represented. I wanted her to know that she was loved; that she was a royal priesthood and a daughter of the most high King. That she can hold her head up high secure in the knowledge of who she is and whose she is.

And as the months passed by the message I want to share with you all are that we should look at each other with that same love Jesus looked at us when He made His way to the cross carrying our crowns of thorns so that we may never have to. Instead of putting each other down we should lift each other up when we fall and stumble as well as  rejoice in each others victories. This message is as much for me as it is for you dear friend.

Psalm 103:4 says He redeemed our lives from the pit and crowned us with love and compassion. We who are in Christ should follow in His footsteps and crown those in our sphere of influence with love and compassion. The Son of man was lifted up and bore the weight of our sins, diseases and curses so that we may be free of it all once and for all.

As we remember and celebrate this holy weekend, may we remember that His blood was shed, His body was broken for us. We are better than the image the world portraits. We are crowned with glory and honor. We don’t need to feel threatened by the success of others, we don’t need to look down on those who are less successful than us. We don’t need to scoff at those who have fallen by the wayside but show them the way back to Him. Lets cover them in love just like Jesus did and encourage them to hold their heads up high.

Shalom Shalom