Related to the King!

Today has been an interesting day for me....in two ways

First of all....

I have just received confirmation that a piece of information I stumbled across a few weeks back is actually correct, and that Prince William (Duke of Cambridge) and I are 'distant' cousins due to both being able to call a man "William Caulfeild, 1st Viscount Charlemont" one of our great-great-great- great- (and a few more 'greats') grandfathers in the 17th Century.  As the world is all a-buzz about the birth of baby George, Prince of Cambridge, it feels a little 'strange' (in a good kind of way) to learn of this connection.

(Mind you, once you get into 'distant' cousins, I am realising just how many there are - I am probably only one of several thousand in the same category.  As one geneology person said, in reality everyone on earth is actually related, the issue is 'how closely' and if you can actually trace it.....and its been fun to trace it!)

As we study more about honour and shame and understand its role in all our lives, some of my own heritage has actually come to mean more to me than ever before.  And as I have looked a little more closely and gained a greater appreciation for what it meant in times past to have the honour of being part of the 'Peerage" of Britain, (and now have this new piece of information of how I am related to the future King of England) I have come to gain a new perspective on the honour God has bestowed on us 'in Christ'.

You see, it is very easy to feel just a hint of the sense of 'status' or 'privilege' or 'honour' that my forebears knew, that my great-grandfather felt in his title of "Lord Caulfeild", (although he died long before I was old enough to ask him about it. ....and that title was lost to our 'line' and went to another semi-distant cousin when there were no male heirs).  And it could be easy to let such news as I had today 'go to my head'.  But yet, I also don't want to dismiss or ignore such news completely, because as I consider being fairly closely related (in terms of the world's population!) to the future King of England,  I also sense that through it, in a most unexpected way, God has given me a new and richer understanding of what it means to be spiritually positioned as a co-heir with the King of Kings and Lord of Lords!  What an immense privilege, status and honour we have in Christ!....and I have come to understand that in a fresh and wonderful way today!

(And as I think about it - there are some major differences between discovering my 'link' to Prince William and the fact of being a child of The King of Kings that also remind me of the immense blessing of my 'spiritual position': - Prince William doesn't know who I am and has no reason to even want to know...and yet The King of Kings knows my name, how many hairs are on my head (grey, brown or whatever!) and even my thoughts before I think them!  I haven't got the slightest chance of calling up Prince William to have a chat about my day or ask for help in my troubles, yet the The King of Kings is vitally interested in my every moment and is ready to hear every word of any need any time of day or night!)

And Secondly....

...... God in His amazing way, didn't just choose any day to bring me this news and therefore remind me of these truths...... today is my spiritual birthday - a day to rejoice and give thanks for being a child of the King (not just a distant cousin!) these past 35years!

What could be a means of temptation to boast in my earthly 'connections', is something I rather want God to quietly use to re-direct, enlighten, and grow my appreciation for the greatness of the gift, that in Christ I have been lifted from the shame of my sin and granted honour that I never deserved....an honour I knew in theory, but now have a fresh perspective on.  By the new birth, I have been born into The King's family!  I can only stand in humble gratitude, and give all the honour back to the One who so sacrificially gave it with His own life!

My Heavenly Father, has given me a very special Birthday gift!