Handing Over the Reins

7/21/1999

Finding Freedom Under Jesus’ Lordship

It is remarkably freeing to realize that embracing Jesus’ Lordship and handing over the reins of our lives to Him is a once-for-all decision. It is not something that has to be decided again and again. There will come opportunities for you to realize the choice that you’ve made…and actually live it out. But there is tremendous freedom in realizing that your choice has already been made, and Jesus is going to make all of your decisions; what He says goes. It is not some duty or hard thing. Instead, as you grow with Christ, you begin to realize what a wonderful gift it is having someone else be in complete control and making your decisions. The only hard thing about Christianity is wasting our energy trying to grab the reins back. So if you want to make it easy on yourself, just live out that covenant every day; get to know the freedom of realizing Jesus’ Lordship and enjoying the lightness of that yoke.

Loving Him Is No Accident

To all, but especially the children: “What do I need to do if I really, really, really want to, with all my heart, be in love with Jesus?” That’s something you children can be thinking about even now, because all of you have heard or seen in your parents, and in others, something of what love for Jesus looks like. There is much I can do if I want to fall in love with Him or want to be more in love with Him. If I really, really, really want to love Him, I can think about Him, I can look at Him, I can think about what is important to Him, and I can spend my time around people who I know love Him; if I want to love, then I’m going to spend time with people who do. I’m going to spend time thinking about it, and I’m going to spend time doing it. There is no guarantee for any of us to just “happen” into a relationship with God; you don’t just all-of-a-sudden-one-day find yourself loving Jesus. But as children, even now, you can begin making decisions to think and care about Him, and to think and care about what is important to Him. Make decisions to believe that He is real and that you can talk to Him, knowing that He is real and that He hears and loves you.

Beholding the King of Glory

The scriptures say that we are changed to be like Him as we behold Him, and that is part of our falling in love with Him. It happens as we look at Him and spend our thought time and energy looking at Him. LOOKING at Him; thinking about Him; caring about what is important to Him; gazing upon His loveliness; singing songs to Him; spending time with those that we know love Him, by the fruit of their lives and the look on their face. If I want to love someone that they love, then I am going to be spending time with them saying, “Can you tell me more about this Jesus that you love? Can you tell me more about this Person that seems to change your life and your attitudes and disposition?”

It sounds like a very simple thought, but it’s really not much more complicated than that. We are not out to live life the “right way”. We are just here to love Jesus with all of our hearts, souls, minds and strength, and with all of our energy and affection, so that we would love HIM.

Even now…

Children, don’t wait for some day when you are older—14, 15, 25, or 50. Don’t think, “When I get older, I will give my life to Jesus just like this person did.” Even now, if you are 6, 7, 8 or 12, even now, begin spending your heart energy thinking about and caring about the things that are important to Him. It’s as we look at Him, as we behold Him that we fall in love with Him.”