My life began to see dramatic changes during junior year of high school when I was hit by a verse from Luke 9:23-26:
Then he said to them “If anyone desires to come after me let him deny himself pick up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever tries to save his life will lose it. And whoever loses his life for my sake will save it. For what is the profit of a man if he gains the whole world and is himself destroyed or lost. For whoever is ashamed of me and my word the Son of man will be ashamed when he comes in his own glory and in his Fathers and the holy angels.”
What hit me was Jesus was asking for more of me than just talking the talk, he wanted me to walk the walk. He was calling me to follow him with my whole life, to be a living sacrifice.
I had been in a relationship with a girl whom I really liked for a while. And it seemed our relationship was going well. I believed I was in a Christian relationship, but both our relationships with God were shallow. Our relationship soon grew physical. After sometime I realized I was past the boundaries I had set for myself, and I was in a godless relationship. So here I was living a double-life: doing the very things, on Saturday, that on Friday, I was telling my Bible study not to do. When I felt God’s call to be part of ALL my life including my relationship I did not heed him. But in his ever resiliency to be the Lord of my Life, he used different factors and scenarios to slowly pull my girlfriend and me apart, and we soon ended the relationship.
I have not had a girlfriend in four years, and it’s been hard, but it has also been wonderful. Without the distraction of a girlfriend The Lord has drawn me closer and closer to him and I am ever more willing to let him lead in my life. And I have seen the benefits of that relationship.
Don’t get me wrong, this is not the last problem I have dealt with and still deal with; I struggle with sexual sins, my future job, my life priorities, my character failures, even putting a desire for a Godly relationship above God himself. Luckily, as Hebrews 4:15-16 says,
“For we do not have a High Priest (Jesus) who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”
So this is my challenge to you not for your salvation that is assured in Christ Jesus. A salvation that comes from repenting of your sin, seeking God’s forgiveness and accepting his son, Jesus into your life as Savior. I want to challenge you to Let God Be the Lord of your life. There is more to taking Jesus’ name then singing songs, going to conferences and having a Jesus is my homeboy t-shirt. There is a relationship, and in that relationship we submit our will to his. He is our Lord who gave us life; our only response is to give it back to him. So look at your life where are you not giving him control. Will you run the race as if to win it, run it so that one day you will see Jesus’ face and hear him say “Well done good and faithful servant”.
