Nancy Hughes: Who is really on the throne?

“The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind, to reward a man according to his conduct, according to what his deeds deserve.”

Jeremiah 17:9-10 (NIV)

When my daughter began teaching school, she wanted more than anything for each of her students to know how precious they were to her so she had her dad build a throne to place in her classroom – and not just any throne. This one was huge, with a high ornate back, padded arms, and a soft maroon pillow to sit on. 

When one of her first-grade students did something especially kind or funny or read more books than assigned or simply was polite, that student was selected to sit on the throne.

Since all her students were extraordinary to her, she said it was easy to find something special about each one so that they all got a turn sitting on the “Throne of the Room” at least once during the school year. I can only imagine the delight of each first-grade student at being selected to sit on the throne because of something that he or she did.

As much as I love my daughter’s way of honoring her students, I cannot help thinking about another throne: the throne of my heart. And, honestly, I don’t believe that anyone has to select me to sit there – because I do that all by myself. I sit on the throne of my heart when I am selfish, prideful, or more concerned with me and mine than with you and yours.

I plant my will right on that maroon pillow when I get my ugly on and do not care how you are feeling or whether or not my words and actions will hurt you. I call myself king when I feel the need to always be in control and have the last word instead of allowing Jesus to have it all.

Jesus should be the only King on my heart’s throne. Period. I need to step down with my wants and desires – in other words, my SELF – and invite Jesus to sit there instead. There is room for only one. One King. One will. One focus. And it should not be me.

One died for me. Only one. One came out of the grave three days later. Only one. One today sits on the throne in heaven. Only one. And that One, that King, should be the only one to sit on the throne of my heart. Only Jesus.

Where are you sitting today, my friends? Have you settled in on the throne of your heart and refused to allow Jesus in? Please take a moment to examine who is in charge of your life and if it is not Jesus, decide today to make a big change on the “Throne of the Room” in your heart.

Father, for the times that I try to put myself on the throne instead of Jesus, forgive me. Help me to clean out my heart to make room for you. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

R.A.P. it up . . .

Reflect

Do you ever feel that things in your life push in and crowd out Jesus from your heart?

Why do you think you have allowed some of those replacements for Jesus on the throne of your heart?

Apply

Journal a list of all the things in your life that battle to take control of your heart’s throne as king.

Beside each one write a Scripture that encourages you to give Jesus the only throne seat of your life.

Power

Jeremiah 17:9-10 (NIV) “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind, to reward a man according to his conduct, according to what his deeds deserve.”

Matthew 6:24 (NIV) “No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.”

Psalm 84:1-2 (NIV) “How lovely is your dwelling place, O Lord Almighty! My soul years, even faints, for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.”

(For more of Nancy Hughes' writing, check out her blog, Encouragement from the War Room.)