30th July 2025

When we think of temperamental kings, the phrase ‘off with his head’ might come to mind. Shakespeare used it a lot in his plays, and it was made even more famous or perhaps, infamous, in Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland. The flustered Queen of Hearts said it often. Real kings could order executions, even though they may not have actually said ‘off with his head.’ Jesus is called the King of kings and sadly, some think he is the kind of king who can and will order executions just as a human king would. 

Michael Reeves, in his book Delighting in the Trinity, An Introduction to the Christian Faith, said ‘Who God is drives everything’, and that the Christian life depends on what you think God is like. I know a pastor who started crying when he told a story about how he received a revelation about his self-righteousness, but said if that hadn’t happened, he feared he was five minutes from going to hell. ‘Off with his head’ seemed a real possibility to him. 

The notion that God is standing ready to pass a sentence of execution on those who don’t live up to his standards has subtly worked its way into our lives, even into the minds of Christians. Even if we believe we’ve been forgiven and that God loves us, the fear that God is angry and punitive can lurk in the dark corners of our hearts. Perhaps this is because we forget that God is first and foremost a father. Michael Reeves says this is God’s true identity. He has revealed himself to us as the Father of Jesus and the relationship they share is intimate, loving, caring, sharing and outgoing. He is the ideal father, and even if we didn’t have the greatest human dad, we can think of him as the one we would want if we could have the perfect father.  

God is not standing at the ready to yell ‘off with their heads!’ Jesus laid down his life so we could participate in and enjoy the relationship he had with his Abba. Our Father God and Jesus the Son, through the Spirit and the blood of the Lamb, warmly welcome us and gather us into the perfect relationship of a Father and his children. We are and forever will be loved by the One Jesus called Abba.

First published on 8 July 2025, at www.gemsofgodsgrace.wordpress.com a personal blog which is not sponsored by Grace Communion International.

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