August 9

“LORD, I know that people’s lives are not their own; it is not for them to direct their steps.” —JEREMIAH 10:23

In the above verse, Jeremiah expresses a universal sense in saying that our lives are not our own. What this means is that human capability is not sufficient enough to give lasting fulfillment and purpose. Most of us realize if we are going to experience God’s plan for our lives, we need His guidance, and there are two basic essentials we need to know; firstly, we are loved by God, and secondly, we are to become the subjects of His Lordship.

Psalm 138:8 says, “The LORD will vindicate me; your love, LORD, endures forever - do not abandon the works of your hands.” This verse is stating that God’s purpose for our lives is a consequence of His love for us. When we realize the love God has for us and have submitted to Him, we become subjects of His Lordship. To illustrate, the United Kingdom has a monarch and the people are ‘subjects’ to the monarch, but Canada is a republic, and its people are called ‘citizens’. Kings and queens do not have peers. They only have subjects. When Jesus talked about the work of God, He said, “The kingdom of God is near”, which means anyone who is going to be a part of God’s work in this world becomes His subject, not His peer. 

Fundamental to our understanding of the will of God must be the recognition that when we come into relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, we are coming into relationship with a King, a Lord, a Master. The person who brings his or her life into submission to Christ is not simply the heart of the Gospel; they become the Gospel. Paul tells us, “For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living” (Romans 14:9). 

Surrendering to Christ is that disposition that says, “Lord, I want You to have Your way in my life.” That is not to say everything will go smoothly. We will encounter the tough times, but as we grow in our understanding of Christ’s Lordship, we will grow to surrender to Him and will experience more of Him. We are who God loves; therefore, we can trust Him, and as the subjects of His Lordship, we obey Him. Then He promises to guide us into the plan He has for us, and it is this that gives us a deeply rooted and lasting sense of purpose, significance and fulfillment.

PRAYER: Dear Lord, I pray for your will to be done in my life, and ask that You help me submit everything to You. Thank You, Lord. 

TO REFLECT UPON: Am I willing to submit wholly to God?