Do you remember the song “He’s Got The Whole World In His Hands” from your childhood Sunday School class? That’s what the first verse of Psalm 24 reminds me of. “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it.” 

Thinking on this, I was drawn to a devotional that asked the following questions:  Who is in charge of your life? Is it God-or is it you? When you say that Jesus is Lord of your life, are you living a life of submission to His lordship-or do you still try to manipulate events to your own advantage? Those are soul-searching questions that require us to go to the Lord and ask for His help to see ourselves as He sees us.

The Bible tells us, “You are not your own; you were bought at a price” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). That price was not cheap-Jesus Christ died so that we may enter into God’s Kingdom. We need to submit to God’s authority as Lord and Creator of everything. “If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord” (Romans 14:8).

This morning as I meditated on this, I thought of the times that I walked in the steps He showed me, but maybe I stopped a few steps short. God is our Lord, and we can trust in His lordship. He is not a cruel master but a just and loving God. He protects us from harm and wants to bless us. Yet He is a jealous master and demands our full commitment to Him. To be a faithful servant, we must yield in obedience to Him. We must yield our own ambitions and agendas to Him. We must surrender our lives in service to our Lord. And to sincerely ask Him “Show me your ways, Lord, teach me your paths.” (Ps. 25:4) And then be prepared to humbly walk where He leads and not stop short.

And even though this total submission to God may seem frightening at first, the more we submit to God, the clearer our understanding of His lordship will be. God knows the limits of our abilities, and He provides the strength and power to do His work. Trying to step into God’s role as the Lord of our lives will lead to frustration and exhaustion, and leaves a foothold for the enemy to slither into (1 Peter 5:8).

We must humbly submit to the Lord and His plans for our lives. We may be hesitant about relinquishing control, but we will find that true freedom lies in submitting fully to the Lord. “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” (2 Cor. 3:17)  Too often, I come up short on this, but thankfully because of His grace, His mercies are new each morning.

Prayer: Dear Lord, please forgive me from the things I have withheld from You. I pray for Your strength to help me trust and obey You in all things. Grant me conviction of sin with godly sorrow, leading me to repentance, so that I will be free in Your grace and mercy. Soften my heart to Your lordship. Thank You for being the perfect Master. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

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