Recently, I was thinking about this phrase that I’ve heard for many years and even said it myself numerous times: “Make Jesus the Lord of your life.” When I consider that he is the Lord of all creation, it seems rather absurd that I could make him anything when he actually made me!
What does it look like in reality when I do acknowledge the fact that he is the Lord of my life?
What if we considered that he (Jesus) is the center of all creation? I love the way the Apostle John begins his gospel –
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. (John 1:1-5)
Think about this. Before anything else existed, Jesus was. He was before anything else!
And then the Apostle Paul says this –
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things he may have the preeminence. (Colossians 1:15-18)
If he is before all things, then if I consider him to be the Lord of my life, wouldn’t he be before me?
In one of my recent times of morning prayer, I wrote these words in my journal –
“In the beginning was the Word.
He is before all things, and in him all things consist.
Before I speak, I must consider him.
Before I form an opinion, I must consider him.
Before I act, I must consider him who is before all things.
How many words have I spoken and never considered whether it sounded like Jesus? How many opinions have I formed and never considered whether they reflected Christ as presented in the gospels? How many of my actions have demonstrated what Jesus looks like to the world around me?
If we are going to see a spiritual awakening in our day, these are the things we must consider. In light of all the political divisiveness on display recently, I’m convinced that Jesus wouldn’t identify with any political party, despite claims by each to the contrary. You might want to read about the sheep and the goats in Matthew 25 to find out with whom he really identifies.
I have read John 1 and Colossians 1 many times, but had never seen them in this light before. Knowing Jesus, who is The Light, I shouldn’t be surprised. I’ll probably see something new again the next time.
Don’t you just love it?
In Him who is before,
Kevin