I Do

What is it really like for Jesus Christ to be the Lord of my life? I sing songs that call Him my "Lord" or "King", but those words taken to the full meaning are terrifying. What might I have to give up if I obeyed every prompting of God in my life? What might I have to do (or not do)? The old addage is very cute that says: It is easier to ask forgiveness than to ask for permission. But for the one who has become a bondservant of Christ, is there really room for such nonsense? What is a bondservant? I think the Apostle Paul coined the phrase. A bond servant was once a slave owned by another person, but upon faithful completion of his duties he had become free. But since he had begun to love the family that he served so much, his choice was to forever give up freedom to be a servant to the other. It was a free will servitude based on the servant's sense of affection and devotion to the master that superseded the law. This is one way that Paul describes his relation to God, and one way that we should also learn.

Does my money any longer belong to me? Can I buy whatever I please or eat out whenever I want? Should I choose the work that suits my interest, or is there something else the Lord requires of me? For the follower of Christ, our lives have been married to God. This is the example of scripture. And just as I give attention to my marriage to bring myself into deeper unity and joy with my wife, I must also pay attention to the daily practices which enrich my relationship with my God. If I ignore my wife I am ignoring my vows to her. And it is the same (even greater) if I ignore my vows to the "Lord" and "King" of my life. Is He truly the Lord of my life, or is it in name only? I am not coerced into asking these questions. They come from my sense of affection to the Lord, and a deep desire to remain near to Him and in His plan for my life.

Thankfully, there is tremendous grace in God that we can ask these sort of questions without feeling condemned, or feeling the need to punish ourselves with self-inflicted suffering. We must always come to the realization that the changes we need in our lives and relationships with God and our neighbor are brought about only by the power of God himself. We cannot take on ourselves the duty of self-discipline. It is God who disciplines each of His children for our own good. He is the one who promised to change us. The God who leads us into difficulties for our training is the same God who fulfills every longing of the heart and brings us into pleasures evermore.