Throughout much of the world there is a fascination with royalty. The Disney “princess” culture continues to soar, as evidenced by Cinderella and Aurora and their compatriots bumping Barbie off her merchandising throne.[1] Among young boys, there are few who have not at some time wielded sticks as make-believe swords in the defense of a king or emperor. It is also evident that our fascination with royalty doesn’t end in childhood. The dedication with which so many watched the palace intrigues in Game of Thrones speaks to our culture’s interest in kings and queens . . . and smut. It’s even seen in the way the tabloid fascination with the British royal family extends far beyond the shores of their island.

As part of a delegation of American evangelical leaders, I’ve had the opportunity to meet with both kings and princes. In Jordan, I’ve enjoyed time with King Abdullah II. In the United Arab Emirates, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed gave us two hours of his time—the first time a leader of the UAE had granted an invitation to evangelicals. And in Saudi Arabia, we were blessed with an extended audience with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The opulence we witnessed was all that you would expect when visiting royalty—the dress, the architecture, the uniforms, the domes, the finery, the wealth.

Yet as marvelous as my experiences were in the palaces and government buildings of these foreign leaders, none of them match what takes place in the quietness of my own home. I read in a tweet last month from Pastor Wayne Hilsden, “Prayer is a summit meeting with the King of Kings.”[2] This simple statement puts into perspective all the opportunities the Lord has given me in the courts of these other nations. While only a few are granted access into the royal halls of this world’s governments, all are invited into the majestic room where the throne of ultimate power is located. The prophet Isaiah describes his visit with God this way:

In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him were seraphim, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. And they were calling to one another:

“Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty;

the whole earth is full of his glory.”

At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke.

Isaiah 6:1-4

I can promise you that in none of my travels have I ever witnessed anything like what Isaiah saw. Amazingly, when I kneel down to pray, I am ushered into this very room. I am welcomed and brought near to the Creator of all things. Through the smoke of his glory, he sees me. Despite the angelic voices resounding with his praises, he hears my every word. Rather than having to convince the Lord of my requests and petitions, he already knows what I need and in his love is already working out what is best in my life.

While it may be fascinating to read about the lives of kings and queens, and while visions of princes and princesses may fill many minds, nothing compares to the grand display we experience in the presence of the King of kings. There, the beauty surpasses, the wisdom exceeds, and the love knows no bounds.

-Joel

---

[1] “Disney Princess Dolls More Popular than Barbies.” New York Post, 6 Feb. 2017, nypost.com/2017/02/06/disney-princess-dolls-more-popular-than-barbies/.

[2] Hilsden, Wayne. “Prayer Is a Summit Meeting with the King of Kings. #Royalpriesthood @ Jerusalem, Israel https://T.co/ZOZ7muoJPd.” Twitter, 6 July 2019, twitter.com/waynehilsden/status/1147599751430332416?s=21.