God’s Rigorous Plan of Preparation

With you, the Christian, God treats you as royalty, and as heir to a throne.

The royal child is given no choice in the matter: he must be royalty. And because he is royalty, he is among the most privileged beings in the kingdom. But this does not mean that his life is easy. He is given a more difficult upbringing. He cannot run through the streets, like the other children; he cannot play with the beggar-children, despite his wishes. He must be trained with tutors and teachers, and he must learn the etiquette of the court. He is not allowed to choose his calling or his life work, for all of this is determined by his royal birth. It is with him as the apostle said, “I mean that the heir, as long as he is a child, is no different from a slave, though he is the owner of everything.”

Many who are royalty have wished, at times, that they could be something less. They do not truly wish to trade their position – but in some ways it seems easier. But there is a rigor and a difficulty which you must endure, if you would reign with Christ. God chose you for this, and you are adopted into his royal family. Therefore it is likely that you will want to cry out, as with Job, “What is man, that you make so much of him, and that you set your heart on him, visit him every morning and test him every moment? How long will you not look away from me, nor leave me alone till I swallow my spit?” (Job 7:17-19). These are the words of a man who is being prepared for a throne, and (wearied by this training) wishes at times that God would relax this discipline. But such training is designed to prepare the child for his future glory.