The battle for your heart comes down to one choice…
Who sits on the throne of your heart?
One of the greatest homilies I’ve ever heard began with this question. The basic premise from the priest was the idea that we all give our lives in service to something or someone. And the blessing and challenge of free will is that you and I get to determine who or what sits on the throne of our hearts.
“Everyone has a throne in their heart” he said, “and everyone places someone on that throne, the only question is who or what will sit there?”
The great saint, Joan of Arc said something very similar at the end of her life.
Every man gives his life for what he believes. Every woman gives her life for what she believes. Some people believe in little or nothing, and yet they give their lives to that little or nothing. One life is all we have and we live it as we believe in living it and then it’s gone.
So let me ask you again, “who or what sits on the throne of your heart?”
During the homily, to help me honestly identify who was on the throne, the priest led a short meditation to help consider some of the options. What he said went something like this:
Do you measure your life by what you achieve, by the status of your job, the letters next to your name, the money you’ve made, the works you’ve published? And is none of it ever good enough? If so, then success might be on the throne of your heart.
Is there an appetite or a desire that you cannot say no to? Is there something you enjoy in the moment but tends to cause havoc in the long run? If so, then pleasure might be on the throne of your heart.
Are feelings your trump card to everything? Do you follow what you feel as the only truth that exists? Do you insist that other people appease whatever you want just because of your feelings? Then feelings might be on the throne of your heart.
Are you incomplete if you can’t control what happens in your life and in the lives of those you love? Does fear of the future play a big role in your life? Then power might be on the throne of your heart.
Do you use people as a means to end? Are your thoughts so full of yourself you don’t have time for anything else? Do you demand total credit for anything that succeeds and refuse any responsibility when things go wrong? Do you feel an insatiable need to defend yourself and justify your actions? Then ego might be sitting on the throne of your heart.
Are you willing to do anything to be noticed, liked, and recognized by other people? Will you sell your soul if it leads to you being admired? Then approval might sit on the throne of your heart.
As the meditation was nearing its end the priest asked, “what would it take for Jesus to be the one sitting on the throne of your heart? What would it take for your entire life, your talents, your enthusiasm, your thoughts, your whole heart, your everything to be placed in the service of Christ the King?”
I remember thinking at the time that the answer to his question was…a revolution. It would take a revolution for Jesus to be the one on the throne of my heart.
This week we hear about Jesus as King. It’s who he is. Jesus is King. Even though the people in the Gospels call Jesus a King as a way to mock him, it doesn’t change who he is. He is Christ the King. Those who answer the call to serve him and him alone bring peace and wisdom and staggering generosity to the world around them in life. And in death they dine with their King in eternal paradise.
When Jesus talked about all this, he said something that really terrifies me. While Jesus said a lot of terrifying and staggering things in his time on earth, this one might be the most terrifying.
He said: “The Kingdom of God is within you.”
When Jesus says this I don’t think he chooses his words casually. I think he used the words he used very intentionally and very specifically. I think he uses Kingdom because he knows that there isn’t a single Kingdom on earth that doesn’t face some sort of enemy trying to overthrow it. And part of what’s so terrifying about it is that when he first says it, he kind of calls it out as if it’s just an observation. Like, Hey, humanity, there is a battle taking place within YOU over who or what will direct your life. Sure God is meant to sit on the throne of your heart but there is going to be a big fight to dethrone me. Just thought you ought to know.
Peter understood this and wrote about in a way that I think captures this situation quite well:
Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”
Here’s the thing no one ever tells us growing up about things like success, pleasure, feelings, power, ego, and approval…you let them ascend to the throne of your heart….they will devour you. They will eat you whole. And they will bring untold amounts of hell to you and everyone around you.
God, on the other hand, He may not look as appealing at first as some of these other things, but God is the only one who, if you give him your life, will elevate your life to heights you could hardly ever imagine.
So, what will you decide? What will I decide? Who will sit on the throne of our hearts?
I know what I want my answer to be. It can just be so hard in the day to day swirl of life to keep what’s most important on the forefront of my mind. So on my phone each day at 3pm I have a reminder that pops up with the question, who do you live for? And I try to say out loud or in the quiet of my heart. I live for the King.
May our lives forever resist what is evil and shout in thunderous celebration with all the angels and saints: Long live Christ the King.