One of the most profound and powerful statements in the Bible is that Jesus Christ is Lord. This means that he is the supreme ruler and authority over all creation, and that he deserves our worship, obedience, and allegiance. But what does it mean to acknowledge and submit to his lordship in our lives? How can we experience the joy and peace that come from surrendering to his will and following his commands? And why do we often struggle to do so?
The lordship of Christ is a mystery that surpasses our human understanding. It is a gift that we receive by faith, not by works or merit. It is not something we can earn or achieve, but something we can only accept and respond to.
His lordship is also a challenge that demands our wholehearted commitment. It requires us to deny ourselves, take up our cross, and follow him (Luke 9:23). It calls us to love him with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and to love our neighbor as ourselves (Mark 12:30-31). It commands us to seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and to trust him to provide for our needs (Matthew 6:33). It instructs us to obey his teachings and commands, and to abide in his word (John 14:15; 15:7). It urges us to be holy as he is holy, and to be transformed by the renewing of our mind (1 Peter 1:15-16; Romans 12:2).
Many men say they seek His Lordship in their lives but when it come to the practical applications of this powerful truth, they find it hard to apply. We want to honor him as our Lord, but we also want to be in control of our own lives. We want to please him with our actions, but we also want to satisfy our own desires. We want to serve him with our gifts, but we also want to use them for our own glory. We want to follow him with our whole heart, but we also want to follow our own plans. We want to trust him with our future, but we also want to secure it by our own means.
Why do we have this tension between what we want and what he wants? Why do we find it hard to surrender to his lordship? There are many possible reasons, such as:
– We have a sinful nature that rebels against God’s authority and resists his grace (Romans 7:14-25).
– We have a worldly mindset that conforms to the patterns and values of this age and opposes the wisdom and will of God (Romans 12:2; James 4:4).
– We have a fleshly weakness that succumbs to the temptations and pressures of this life and hinders our spiritual growth (Galatians 5:16-17; 1 Peter 5:8-9).
– We have a limited perspective that fails to see the big picture and the eternal purpose of God’s plan (Isaiah 55:8-9; Ephesians 1:9-10).
How can we overcome these obstacles and embrace the lordship of Christ in our lives? How can we move from wanting it to applying it? There are many possible ways,but I would like to propose the following:
– We need to repent of our sins and confess them to God, asking for his forgiveness and cleansing (1 John 1:9; Acts 3:19).
– We need to renew our minds with the truth of God’s word, meditating on his promises and commands (Psalm 119:11; Romans 12:2).
– We need to rely on the power of God’s Spirit, who dwells in us, not on our own strength.
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Jeff Hagen
President & Founder
Hill Cities, Inc.
