Our Crumbling Kingdoms

My husband loves playing strategic board games, and I love playing them with him, particularly games that I have a fair chance of winning. One such game is Ticket To Ride. We played this game with my family a few weeks ago, and I was in it to win it. For an hour of game play, my brain was focused on thinking through ways to strategically earn more points to win. 

At the end of the game, we tallied up the points, and I was delighted to find that I earned the most points. As I surveyed the game board and the visible evidence of my victory, I couldn't help but find happiness in my own glory. My happiness didn't last for long; my husband defeated me in another game later that night. 

Yesterday we looked at Daniel 4 and what happened when King Nebuchadnezzar took all of the glory for becoming king of Babylon. God humbled him by driving him mad and making him like a wild beast. It wasn't until King Nebuchadnezzar was sufficiently humbled that God reinstated him as king of Babylon. King Nebuchadnezzar then praised and honored God for "his dominion is an everlasting dominion and his kingdom endures from generation to generation (Dan 4:34)." 

I'm just like King Nebuchadnezzar. I often look at my life, like Nebuchadnezzar, and declare, "Is not this great _________, which I have built by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty?" I could fill that blank with a number of things: game win, blog, marriage, relationship, life, reputation, or accomplishment. When I do this, I pridefully elevate my own crumbling kingdom above God's kingdom, and I view myself as king. Ultimately, I refuse to give God the glory He is due. 

The Lord humbles me when I elevate my own crumbling kingdom, whether it's losing a game to my husband, seeing an area of sin in my heart, having conflict in a relationship, or when my reputation fails me. In those circumstances, God reminds me that my crumbling kingdom will not last, but His kingdom and His glory endure forever. 

God's kingdom is far greater than my crumbling kingdom. God's dominion is far better than my prideful dominion. Humility is valued in God's kingdom, and pride destroys my mine. 

The more I learn about God, the more I desire to put aside my crumbling kingdom to serve God and help grow His kingdom. 

What about you? Here are some questions to ponder:

• In what instances are you tempted to be like King Nebuchadnezzar?
• What does trying to build your own crumbling kingdom look like in your life?
• How does learning more about God and His glory affect your kingdom building?

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Take some time to think about these questions, and join me tomorrow as we take a look at what Jesus reveals to the disciples about the kingdom of God. 

This post is part of a 31 day series called Seeking the Kingdom.
​You can view the rest of the posts from the series here. 
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Note: The Amazon link to Ticket to Ride above is an affiliate link. If you click on the link and purchase the game, this blog is supported at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting She Laughs Without Fear!