God Reigns

The famous Christmas hymn “Joy to the World” includes the line, He rules the world with truth and grace.

In the Christmas story, we are reminded that Jesus is the King who reigns forever. The angel Gabriel told Mary, “He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end” (Luke 1:32–33).

We long for a perfect leader, don’t we? There’s a world of difference between a loving parent and a neglectful one, a good boss and a rude manager, a benevolent ruler and a cruel tyrant, or a caring pastor and a spiritually abusive leader. While we prefer good leaders, even the best people in authority are still flawed, and they inevitably disappoint.

But not so with Jesus. Christ rules and reigns over all without any flaw or imperfection. Jesus is the perfect leader we long for, who compassionately cares yet upholds truth and justice without wavering.

The reign of Jesus means we can have hope and confidence, even when things around us seem chaotic or unfair. Jesus is still on the throne, in total control. It also means that we should follow His commands, since He has been given all authority in heaven and on earth (Matthew 28:18).