Not a Single Sunrise
The first is that he does not reign.
The second is that his reign is supreme.
The first has lulled many souls to sleep. The world grows accustomed to temptation until it scarcely notices it. Evil settles into the ordinary. A generation forgets that there is an enemy because it has learned to speak his language without hearing his voice.
The second lie finds those who have awakened.
It meets the man who looks honestly upon the world and sees suffering, cruelty, and death. He watches nations rage. He watches innocence wounded. He watches the faith grow cold in places where it once flourished. The darkness stretches to every horizon until it seems there is nowhere left to stand.
The enemy delights in this moment.
He has always enjoyed the sound of his own victories. He speaks with the arrogance of one who believes in his own greatness. Every age has heard his boasting. Every age has watched men mistake arrogance for authority.
Yet his confidence has never made him king.
His voice fills the world because it echoes through frightened hearts. His threats gain their strength from those willing to believe them. His kingdom has always depended upon borrowed time and borrowed power. He has never commanded the sea. He has never given life to the dust of the earth. He has created not a single sunrise.
Christ's reign is truly supreme.
Christ does not bargain with darkness. He does not hesitate before it. The demons know Him long before men understand who He is. Storms obey Him. Death yields before Him. The enemy who speaks as though he owns the world cannot prevent the Son of God from walking wherever He wills.
This should bring confidence to the Christian.
Every pilgrim soon discovers that he is not alone upon the road. One companion delights in every stumble. He counts each failure, whispers every accusation, and eagerly points toward despair. He follows because he hopes the pilgrim will forget where the road leads.
Christ walks the same road.
He neither fears the enemy nor alters His course because of him. He walks with the true authority of the One to whom every road, every valley, and every kingdom already belongs. The evil one may accompany the pilgrim for a season. He cannot command the journey, nor can he claim its end.
The loudest voice is not always the highest throne.
The one who roars the most often possesses the least.
The Christian walks with the King, and no darkness has ever laid claim to Him.
