Kings Think Differently

A pastor recently told this story. 

The King of Saudi Arabia once asked Arnold Palmer to come to play golf with him in Saudi Arabia. So, the king sent a private jet to America, picked up the golfer, and flew him there. Arnold Palmer spent a few days with the king playing golf. When it was time for Palmer to return, the king wanted to give him a gift for coming to Saudi Arabia and playing with him. The king said, “What would you like?” The golfer said, “Gosh, maybe a new golf club. I like golf clubs.” So, the king said, “A golf club it is.” 

On his way home, the golfer started thinking. “I wonder what the golf club will look like. Maybe laced in gold or something like that. After all, he is a king.” A few weeks later, a certified letter came to Arnold Palmer’s door. It read, “Here is the deed to your 5,000-acre, 18-hole golf country club in America.” What am I saying here? Kings think differently. We think of a single golf club, but kings think of an 18-hole golf club.” That’s mentally moving from small fries to King-sized. 

Are we trapping ourselves with our thoughts, prayers, and faith in God? How big is your God? Is your God big? Is your God big, big, big? Or is your God big, big, big, big, big? 

Let me personalize this a bit today. How big is your God? The answer to that question is simple: God is as big as you make Him to be! Even though the Scriptures say in Isaiah 40:12 that God has marked the heavens (the whole universe) between His thumb and His forefinger, we can limit the big, big, big, big, big God, or “The King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, God.” We don’t think like kings.

Even though humankind continually changes, as fads, whims, personalities, and politics change, God never changes. God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. If God was big yesterday, God is big today, and will still be big tomorrow. That fact is unchangeable. Our challenge is that we become what we believe. One thing is sure: Fallible human beings do not invalidate biblical truth. 

Let’s go on. How big are God’s thoughts? The Scriptures say this about God’s thoughts in Isaiah 40:8-9; “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than yours.” God’s thoughts are big, big, big, big, big. Are your thoughts more like God's thoughts, or your or other's thoughts? In other words, kings think differently. Sound familiar?  

Now, more questions. How big is your faith? How much believing power do you have? How big are your prayers? What would you like God to do for you? 

Now, don’t get me wrong. I’m not trying to make God some Santa Claus who always gives you what you want. But sometimes, bad choices, hard times, and an unbelieving culture limit our faith, prayers, and expectations of God. Pop culture and those influenced by it like to shrink God down to their own finite size and understanding, making God in their image. When that happens, everyone underachieves. 

Let me share some robust truths about God I heard my friend, Pastor Mel Mullen, say years ago. I’ve added quite a bit to what he said here, but knowing Mel, he will love it. 

First, God can do anything. Don’t ever forget that. Nothing is impossible for God, and that fact never changes. Often, the worst thing we ask God for is what is worse for us. What we want doesn’t deserve us. Sometimes, God answers prayers and requests with yes, no, grow, and slow. Other times, God answers prayers with yes or no, and “You’ve got to be kidding.” We humans can think of some crazy things sometimes.  

Secondly, remember that God chooses to limit Himself to the level of our thinking. In other words, God chooses to live within the ‘box’ we build for Him. As I often say, your will is the only thing bigger than God. It is not because it is bigger than God but because that is how God has made things work. The Bible says, “According to your faith, so be it unto you.”  

Thirdly, God looks for people with 'big, big, big' faith and perseverance to work with. The Bible says, “According to your faith, be it unto you.”  Faith pleases God and shifts us from self-reliance to God-reliance. I'm more concerned about people having too little faith than too much faith in today's world. Most people think little. 

Fourthly, when we do what we can, God will do what He can. The box we make for God is the same box we put ourselves into. Letting God out of our mental box allows us to get out of our 'box,' too. Then, last year's dream can become this year's reality. 

Finally, fasten your seat belts; if it is God’s will for you, and you think and ask for it unselfishly, you will probably have it, or even something better, in God’s timing. The scripture says, “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us…” Ephesians 3:20a.    

Please realize that God, the King of Kings, has stored up promises and prophecies and answered prayers for each of us King’s kids as we become what we believe. Why? Good Kings think differently.