“…God made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.” Acts 2:36
Peter’s words cut to the heart of 1st century listeners then and they cut to the heart of 21st century listeners today. Jesus is the Christ and Jesus is Lord.
For many years, He was my Christ –my Savior. That relationship happened in a moment. A snapshot in time. The light of revelation broke through and understanding of the gravity of sin came, revealing a life found wanting, lacking. It illuminated my need for a Savior. I opened my heart to Him and in that moment, He became the Christ who saves. My fate for eternity was sealed from that moment on. Hallelujah!
But the yielding to Him as my Lord has been a process and one that continues to unfold. If salvation is a snapshot, sanctification (a big churchy word for growing in Christ) is a video—a series of life events and circumstances leading me to yield more and more, to pry my selfish fingers off my “rights,” my desires, my wants. And in the upside-down-logic of God’s ways, this yielding actually brings freedom. My freedom from the bondage of sin leaves me with real freedom. I am free to live for the one who died for me. The baggage that sin brought is cast off; the condemnation is gone and replaced with the lightness and joy of serving my Jesus. I’ve replaced the have-to (legalism), I’ve rejected the don’t-have-to (liberalism), and I’m free to live a life of want-to and even delight-to. He has become – and is continuously becoming – my LORD.
A live-sent woman knows Jesus as Savior, and grows and lives for Him and in Him as LORD.
Jesus, thank you for being my Savior. Fill me with the want-to to live for you as LORD. Thank you for dying for me. Show me how to live for You!
Live Sent Action Point: Ask Jesus to reveal one area of life where you are holding on to the old you. Pray for courage to yield to Him in that choice, right, or desire—making Him LORD in that specific area of life.
