Barukh ata Adonai Eloheinu Melekh ha’Olam asher kid’shanu b’mitzvotav v’tizivanu al sefirat ha’Omer.
Blessed are You, Adonai our God, Sovereign of the Universe, who has sanctified us with Your commandments and commanded us to count the Omer.
Today is forty-six days, which is six weeks and four days of the Omer.
We are now in week seven of our counting the Omer. Counting the Omer will conclude Friday evening at sunset, May 18. We have looked at six previous qualities: love, discipline, compassion, endurance, humility and the act of bonding. Our final quality is the one that makes us unique from all of God's other creations, Malchut, sovereignty. This final quality is more of an attitude, it is the application of our previous attributes, a goal to consciously work toward. When we realized who we are in Christ, only then can we assume our leadership role as the adopted sons and daughters of the Most High, Melek ha'Olam, King of the Universe.
Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. Genesis 1:26-27 NIV
Then the LORD God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.
The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. Genesis 2:7,15 NIV
After God placed Adam in the Garden He gave him a job. None of His other creations were designated with duties, but man was made in the image of Elohim, with life breathed from His Holy breath. We have been given the ability to understand, reason and make choices, not just react to circumstances like the birds, fish and land mammals. As humans we are sovereign over the rest of creation, but in order to correctly fulfill our responsibilities, we must employ a wide range of other qualities.
There are numerous examples of poor leadership, mean bosses, corrupt government leaders, and unethical coaches who take advantage of those who are under their authority. This often provides us a distaste for authority. Perhaps a safe analogy is farming. Christ uses the farmer in many of His parables about the Kingdom of Heaven.
Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. Whoever has ears, let them hear.” Matthew 13:3-9 NIV
A farmer does not get up early to till the soil, plant and harvest for fame and fortune. He does so because he loves the land and finds satisfaction in watching plants flourish and reaping the harvest to provide for his family and others. The farmer's self-discipline to work hard and get dirty is often a thankless, humble job which requires great endurance and patience when hardship produce a poor crop. Most small farmers now work in co-ops sharing equipment and other resources. They usually live in close-knit communities coming together in support through compassion for their neighbor. Many of us would not consider farmers, vintners, and ranchers to be sovereign leaders, because most live quiet, simple lives away from the spotlight, but they are working and caring for the earth that Yahweh created.
Parenting is a very similar type of leadership encompassing our six previous attributes. I once was turned down for a job, although I possessed the professional skills for the position, leadership could not understand why I had previously given up a career to stay home with my children. They decided I must not be very dedicated if I would "stay home." Truth is, I was more tightly bound through love for my children than a job. Parenting is a tough job, requiring long days with little glamorous recognition, but the reward is children who love our King and live for Him above all else.
Godly sovereignty, malchut, is the Holy Spirit in us, giving us the ability to actualize the characteristics of our LORD through His Presence in us. Our God in full majesty rules not through a tyrannical hand,although His justice will always prevail, but He gently, patiently leads each of us through the very six qualities He expects us to use caring for those people and things entrusted to our care.
Most Sovereign, Righteous Creator, as Your ambassadors, You have called me to be sovereign over Your world. Help me reflect malchut by the power of Your Spirit within me, so I may accurately represent Your attributes. You have empowered us with the ability to lead well because You gifted us with the Fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) and with the same power You used to raise our Savior from the grave (Ephesians 1:19-20). Hold us accountable, so we do not impose our own wishes and desires, but only the will of You, O LORD, Holy God Almighty.