Wanting a King
What is it about us people that we want to be in control of our lives? Even as believers in Jesus, where we have repeatedly seen the joys and blessings of living in His will, we still have this tendency to want to stay in control.
This morning I read one of the saddest verses in the Bible. The people of Israel pleaded with the prophet Samuel to give them a king:
"Give us a king like all the other nations have." Samuel was very upset with their request and went to the Lord for advice. 7"Do as they say," the Lord replied, "for it is me they are rejecting, not you. They don’t want me to be their king any longer. " -- 1 Sam. 8:5b-7 (Emphasis mine)
I remember the time when I was about 19 and went to a Sunday night Bible study. I did not know Christ. Had never read the Bible. After the study was over, a college friend sat down with me and started to explain the gospel to me. It frightened me. I didn't want to believe it, to admit that I was a sinner and needed to be saved. I literally walked away from her -- and from Christ. But as I left the house and went to my car, I had this dreadful feeling that I was rejecting God. I was like those Israelites in Samuel's day -- I didn't want God to be my king.
By the tender mercies of the Lord, He gave me time to repent and a few years later He brought me to my knees to confess Jesus as both Savior and King of my life. And since then I've seen there is no other way to live but for Jesus, being in Jesus.
And yet...I still find myself at times not wanting to submit to this King of Glory. The flesh wants me to stay in control. But I know that once I start running my own life, things get very messy very quickly. Besides, if Jesus gave His life for me, how could I not daily give myself to Him -- to be used once more for His purposes and His glory?
And so, once more I pray a prayer of abandonment:
Lord Jesus, I surrender. I give up control of my life to You. You deserve all the praise and glory. You are King. I declare you as my King. As the song says, "Jesus, take the wheel." Let Your Spirit reign in my heart and do Your mighty work through this weak vessel. For You are worthy to be praised. In Jesus' mighty Name I pray, Amen.
Jim
posted by Jim Clark @ 8:07 AM
4 comments
4 Comments:
Hey friend. You know that I'm not much on blogging. There's enough shared ignorance in the world without me adding to it, but your comments about the Kingship of the God of everything hit a sore spot with me.
The world was spoken into existance through and by the Word. The Word was spoken into the world as the ultimate gift and holy sacrifice. We, in turn have been spoken into the world by the Word, bearing the gift of the King. It is amazing beyond understanding that we have a King who gives us gifts or even cares about us at all, individually. It is arrogant beyond belief that we have the audacity to turn them down.
You might want to take a look at another Brennan Manning book, "The Signature of Jesus." I've latched onto the concept that we are not just messengers of the King, but, in reality, the spoken word of the Christ in service of the King bearing His seal and His signature. If indeed, we serve a servant King, the battle, both inside and out, for who has dominion, is not about domination, but about surrender. In our culture, to surrender is to lose, and nobody wants to lose. It is another of the divine paradoxes that, in this instance, to surrender is to win.
Bought with the same Blood
Thanks, Wes. I love what you had to say. And need to read Manning's book, The Signature of Jesus.
We grieve with you in your loss of your mother.
Your brother,
Jim
Ah, brothers, I am slowly learning that lesson. To be in charge of myself is a form of protection, of insulation from hurt. Handing that job over to the Lord is how I am beginning to break down the walls that keep me insulated from my brothers and sisters, and from my King. It is startling to get a glimpse of what community with people and communion with God really looks like and feels like, then to realize how seldom I let it happen. I've got a lot to learn.
Great point, G-ampa C, about how we experience more depth in Christian community when we live with an attitude of surrender to the Lord. We're all learners in this process.
Jim
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