The Rule.  The Law.  The Boundary.   The Command(ment).   The Control.   The Fear.

Why do people obey authority’s rule of their lives?

Do people obey because of fear of the Punishment (so in fear they submit)?

Do people obey because of fear of the Ridicule (to not conform)?

Do people obey because of fear of the Rejection (they know not who)?

Do people obey because of a healthy fear of God (fear of the what if I don’t)?

Do people obey because the fear of the LORD is the correct posture of a disciple….BECAUSE JESUS REALLY IS THEIR LORD?

LORD.

How would we actually define that word? Despite what we say aloud, how we define the word truly comes from deep within our heart, soul, mind, and strength.

It can be a verb, as in to “lord” over someone, maybe even used with a negative connotation.

It can be a noun, as in “Jesus is LORD” because HE is the Messiah and Savior of the world.

It can even be a slang term, as in “lordy, lordy, look at that.”

(And) Finally, the term can be an adjective, as in “LORD GOD ALMIGHTY, as a precursor to exclaim the right posture one should take when considering the power of God.

Quite possibly, we fight against the lordship of another over what they proudly claim as their own.  That position is MINE, and that means I reign over YOU in importance.

Quite possibly, we push back against the lordship (once we reach adulthood) as we proclaim, “My time is MY TIME, and what I choose to do and how to fill MY TIME is totally MY BUSINESS.”

Quite possibly, we willingly accept another’s lordship over our lives, realizing that only goodness can result in total submission.  We bow our heads in prayer and whisper inside our soul, “God, forgive my SELF-control and SELF-focus and SELF-desires and even my SELF-absorption when, God, I know, YOU are for me and not against me.”

LORD.  This single word contains only a positive denotation when we willingly place our lives into God’s perfect plan. LORD. When we decide to willingly let go and give God full control over our days, over our careers, over our relationships, over our thoughts, over our pleasures, over our family, over our health, over our witness, over our actions, over our prayers, over our worship, over our EVERYTHING.

Jesus IS the Messiah—It is a fact that HE came as the promised child, the fulfillment of prophecy.

Jesus IS the Savior—It is a fact that HE gave HIS life on the cross of Calvary to provide us (all humanity) with eternal life with God (the Father of all). Yes, acceptance of Jesus as our Savior grants us presence with God (—-once we Accept, Believe, and Confess our sins to HIM and Receive Jesus as our Savior).

Jesus IS God—It is a fact that HE is the Son of Man & the Son of God, both flesh and Spirit.

Jesus IS the Comforter—It is a fact HE ascended to the throne of God and HE sent us One to walk with us through this life, One to direct our path, and One to sustain us until the Messiah returns for our soul we willingly gave to HIM.

Jesus IS the Messiah—It is a fact that HE IS COMING AGAIN.

Jesus IS the LORD—It is a fact!!!

BUT, the question remains: IS Jesus my LORD? & IS Jesus your LORD? IS JESUS THE LORD OF OUR LIFE?

Take time today to talk with Jesus.   Place yourself there, like the woman who knelt on the floor, bowing and humble in repentance at the feet of Jesus, crying out in forgiveness for her sins and wiping her tears from Jesus’ feet as they fell, kissing Jesus’ feet, and anointing HIS feet with a vial of perfume she purchased for her LORD. She was uninvited.   She was not on the guest list, but still she entered the home that day.  She saw Jesus.  She saw the Son of Man reclining there at the table, and she dropped to the floor and bowed to the Son of God. Others in the room (the religious leaders–the Pharisees) saw her actions, saw her occupation, saw her sins, saw her dirtiness, saw her impurity, saw her only as society labeled her.  Yet, Jesus saw her humility.  AND, Jesus saw her repentant heart.  AND, Jesus saw her as one who came seeking salvation and peace. Others in the room (the religious leaders) wanted to see how this Holy teacher, this prophet would react to her touch.  They wished to ridicule Jesus, to trap Him as a breaker of the Law, and they did so in their thoughts and in their heart. Jesus (the Son of Man and the Son of God) HE knew their thoughts, just as Jesus knew the woman’s thoughts and heart, and just as Jesus knows our thoughts and our hearts (Luke 7: 36-39).

There is a beautiful melody performed by Zach Williams titled “Less Like Me,” and inside the song resides a lyric:  “A little more like Jesus/A little less like me.”
Today, may we decide. Who really has total “lordship”—-To our days, To our minutes, To our thoughts, To our actions, To our reactions, & To our EVERYTHING?

Today, are we willing to seek an answer?

Today, may we cry out to our LORD & may we proclaim (just as the prophet Jeremiah proclaimed)——–“Remember my affliction and my wandering, the wormwood and bitterness. Surely my soul remembers and is bowed down within me. This I recall to my mind, Therefore I have hope. The LORD’S lovingkindnesses indeed never cease, For His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness. “The LORD is my portion,” says my soul, “Therefore I have hope in Him. “The LORD is good to those who wait for Him, to the person who seeks Him” (Lamentations 3: 19-25).