Redeemed and Crowned

Psalm 103:1-4

"Bless the LORD, O my soul,

and all that is within me,

bless his holy name!

Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits,

who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases,

who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy"

• Bless (barak) to kneel down

• Redeems (ga'al) to buy back, (to act as a kinsman, do the part of next of kin, act as kinsman-redeemer by marrying a brother's widow to beget a child for him, to redeem from slavery, to redeem land)

• Crowns ('atar) to crown, to surround, to encompass

• Steadfast love (checed) kindness, zeal, ardor, love

• Mercy (racham) compassion, (this word can also mean womb-God's mercy is like a womb that provides us with everything we need to develop and mature)

Hebrew words in parentheses

I was reading through this Psalm the other day and was reminded of the abundant goodness the Lord has shown to mankind, specifically to those who rest their faith in His Son, Jesus Christ. In times of difficulty, there are always reasons to rejoice in our faithful Lord. He is not moved by the circumstances of this world and His character does not change.

It was verse 4 that stood out to me.

We are redeemed and crowned. There are always reasons to kneel in worship before our King, the One who has so graciously encompassed us with His love and mercy.

Redeemed

Every man, woman, and child has a debt standing against them. The debt is created by sin and it is a debt we are unable to pay. God the Father sent Jesus to be our Redeemer. He paid our debt with His blood by dying the death we deserved. He willingly sacrificed Himself as our perfect and complete payment. When we admit we need a Redeemer and rest our faith in Jesus and His sacrifice, His payment is applied to our lives. We are redeemed from a life of slavery to sin and redeemed to a life lived as God's child. He awakens new life in us, bringing healing and hope to what was dead, and gives us a position and purpose in His kingdom.

Crowned

The Lord crowns us and surrounds us with His character. He crowns us with a passionate ardor, kindness, and love-everything we need to flourish in our new identity and pour into the lives of others. The crown He gives us is not made with temporary things, such as gold, jewels, or precious metals. Instead, our crown is eternal and carries kingdom purpose.

Practically, what does a crown represent?

• Position

• Purpose

• Power

Sad to say, history is littered with people in positions of authority who have ruled with fear, used their position to oppress, persecute, and kill others, and have conquered to bring glory to their name and kingdom. Some even in the name of Christianity.

This is not our position or purpose.

Position and Purpose

Our crown does not remove suffering from our lives. Instead, as heirs, we willingly suffer to advance God's kingdom as Jesus did. We are ambassadors for Jesus and God desires others to sense Christ’s character, like a sweet aroma, radiating through us. He wants to draw others to Himself and has commissioned us to be the beautiful feet that carry the good news to all, so He can restore others to His divine favor. He has graciously crowned us to live as His children, ambassadors, and heirs.

"The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him." (Romans 8:16-17)

"Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God." (2 Corinthians 5:20)

"All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation. But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. For our sake, he made him (Jesus) to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." (2 Corinthians 2:14)

Our crown represents the message of reconciliation, restoration to God's favor, because it has been made out of God's love and mercy. It is meant to remind us every day that we have been made righteous through Jesus Christ alone, and that we now carry this precious message to others.

How do we live within our position and purpose?

In God's kingdom, we are not called to use our position to elevate ourselves above others or ignore and look down on those who are not part of God's kingdom. Instead, God has crowned us to be humble servants who operate encompassed by His kindness and mercy, and who extend His love to all people.

Crowned Servants

"This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.

Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful." (1Corinthians 4:1-2)

"Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God." (1Peter 2:16)

"Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen." (1Peter 4:8-11)

Earnestly (ektenes) intentionally, without ceasing, fervent

Greek word in parentheses

"But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation."

• Proclaim (exaggello) celebrate, publish

• Honorable (kalos) beautiful, valuable, virtuous, honest

Greek words in parentheses

Our purpose is to serve others with the gifts God has given us and celebrate the excellencies of our King. Our King has given us everything we need to operate in the position and purpose He has crowned us with. He calls us to live beautiful, valuable, and honest lives so others will see His glory and power operating through us. He calls us to love others intentionally and fervently.

In God's kingdom, we have the beautiful responsibility of:

• feeding the hungry and thirsty, clothing the naked, and visiting the sick and imprisoned (Matthew 25:31-46)

• loving our neighbors (Matthew 22:39)

• loving our enemies (Matthew 5:44)

• cheerfully giving to others (2 Corinthians 9:7)

• showing hospitality (1Peter 4:9, Hebrews 13:2)

• speaking truth in love (Ephesians 4:15)

• confessing to and praying for each other (James 5:16)

• remembering those who are mistreated (Hebrews 13:3)

• weeping with those who weep and rejoicing with those who rejoice (Romans 12:15)

These are just a few of the ways we can live and love others as crowned servants,

remembering that it is our privilege to do everything out of adoration for our Lord and King, Jesus Christ. (Colossians 3:23)

"Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

We follow our servant-King‘s example- the One you came to seek and save the lost, and extend His love to every tribe, tongue and nation.

Sincerely

Amy Jennings