We read in Luke 2: 19 that “Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart” about her son—God’s Son—Jesus. Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart, reflecting deeply on the events surrounding Jesus' birth and early life. The act of pondering signifies thoughtful meditation, indicating that Mary was not merely remembering but actively seeking to understand the full meaning of the divine revelations she experienced. This practice of internal reflection, where she preserved these memories for future understanding, demonstrates her quiet faith and spiritual receptivity. The phrase emphasizes her role as a keeper of sacred truths, storing them in her heart as a treasured record of God’s work. God called me back over the weekend to a treasure box that contains notes and scriptures collected over 25 years. As I read them, I realized that they were treasures of the heart about Jesus that revealed Him not only as the Son of God and Savior but as He became Lord of my life. As we get older, we reflect on milestones that brought us to where we are today. I recently read that truths that God has taught us do not fully become reality until we share them with someone else. It seems that God is leading me to share some of the truths He has revealed to me for this reason. The words of the song we love to sing at Christmas says, “Mary called Him Jesus, but I call Him Lord.” I believe that God is calling each of us today to examine our lives to see if Jesus is truly the Lord of our life.
We are all on a journey with God and we can be as close to Him as we want to be. God wants to be our friend—our intimate companion and we can through Jesus. God has used the account of the sisters Mary and Martha in Luke 10: 38-42 to teach me life lessons. Even though my first name is Mary, I have manifested Martha characteristics most of my life. When I retired, God began a new work in me—to change me from a Martha to a Mary. The question was: Do I want Jesus to be my guest or my friend? Mary was seated at the Master’s feet, listening to His teaching. Martha was distracted with much serving and complained to Jesus because Mary wasn’t helping her. Jesus’ answer was, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and bothered about many things, but only one thing is necessary. For Mary has chosen the good part, which will not be taken away from her.” This change would indeed be a process that still continues as God allows me to go through painful experiences to make me see myself as He does and to see myself as He wants me to be. He made me give it all up—until I could set at Jesus’ feet—choosing the one good part as Mary did. He allowed me to come to the end of my strength so that He could give me His strength. This process began on Mother’s Day of 2001 with a prayer of surrender asking God to teach me and show me His way. “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” (Proverbs 3: 5-6) I began the process with my Bible, devotional books, journal to record “God Words” and sitting aside a time to be with Jesus every day. As I prayed and learned to listen to God, He revealed truths about Himself, about myself and about people and circumstances. I had to be willing to be broken. I learned to pray continually without ceasing—being constantly aware of God’s presence—talking to Him all during the day and when awakened at night asking, “Who do You want me to pray for?” I learned to pray about everything—“Help me Jesus.” I had to learn to stop being a “fixer”—a problem solver and release it to God which is an on-going reminder! The words of Hebrews 12:2 was brought into focus—that Jesus is the One who saved us by His blood when we accept Him as Savior—He initiated the path of faith and established the foundation upon which believers build—the beginning—the Author and He is the One who desires to work in us to perfect and bring to completion the good work He has begun in us—His ultimate completion and fulfillment—the Finisher of our faith. Jesus’ role underscores that the entire journey of faith begins with Jesus and is sustained and perfected by Him, who endured the cross for the joy set before Him and now sits at the right hand of God’s Throne making intercession for us. (Phil. 1:6) It is not just a one-time surrender to make Jesus Lord of our life but a daily dying to self. (Galatians 2: 20) “A life of surrender says, ‘God, whatever, whenever, wherever, and however You want it, my answer is yes.” (Dr. Stanley) We live in a world that is constantly changing and where people are constantly leaving, whether in a family, relationship, or death. Earthly friends and family may forsake us, BUT JESUS said: “I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Mt. 28:20)
Today, I will be sharing some truths gleaned from the notes in the treasure box and pray that they will encourage and strengthen you as God continues to teach me. The words of William H.H. Aitken inspire me to continue in my pursuit of making Jesus Lord of my life: “Lord, take my lips and speak through them; take my mind, and think through it; take my heart and set it on fire.” Truth becomes truth to us, and spiritual life becomes spiritual life to us only when we actually do the thing Christ calls us to do! Not until this actually takes place do we move toward the Shepherd or begin to experience the benefits of His care and management. We may know about Him in a theoretical, doctrinal way but actually living, walking and communing with Him in a personal encounter is something foreign and unknown. Unfortunately, many who call themselves Christians, who consider themselves the followers of Christ, who claim to be the sheep of His flock are really still strangers to His voice.
There are only two kingdoms—the kingdom of God and the kingdom of Satan. Only Jesus and the devil are absolutes; all other characters are in motion either toward the light or away from it. According to Matthew 4: 8-9, Satan offered this world’s systems or kingdom to Jesus if He would worship Him. Satan entices us by offering us the pleasures and power of this world—“the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. (1 John 2: 1-17) Jesus refused to participate in the devil’s world, and so must we. Satan and his adversaries are coming against the body, soul and spirit of mankind seeking whom he may devour. We must run to the Father in the Name of Jesus on behalf of our family, our loves ones, our church, our community and this county, state and nation that He will send forth His great power to protect us from injury, confusion and failure. We must ask Him to set a watch against evil in our lives both day and night and frustrate the evil plans plotted against us and their evil schemes and be our defense and Strong Tower. (Nehemiah 4: 8-9, Prov. 18:10)
Many times, God will allow us to go through tough times to get our attention or to adjust our way. God permits suffering in our lives as a way of disciplining us and preparing us for what is ahead. The ultimate purpose of the suffering God allows in our lives is to restore us to right relationship to Him. We must not be weighed down with problems and unresolved issues for Jesus is our burden bearer. In this world we have trials and distress, but don’t let it get us down. Jesus has conquered the world and deprived it of power to harm us. (Matthew 11: 28-30) Jesus will remove our heavy burden of guilt and hopelessness and give us true rest in Him. “Cut the ropes and take the promises…if a person has money, he can go without consulting God, like Jonah, who could afford to pay his passage to run away from Him. The fact is, we can never really be bondservants until God does control our means.” (Rees Howell) He learned the blessed truth that his extremity was indeed God’s opportunity. His eyes were opened to the fact that he had a claim on God for what he could not supply himself…what joy he found that he had finished with the limited resources of man and begun on the unlimited resources of God. The promises of God had replaced money in the bank. “God’s ways are behind the scenes, but He moves all the scenes which He is behind.” (John Nelson Darby) Trust in His timing, Rely on His Promises, Wait for His answers, Believe in His miracles, Rejoice in His goodness, Relax in His presence!
In the Christian life sanctification is a three-stage process. 1. At the moment of salvation, God plants His Holy Spirit into our hearts as His seed setting us apart for Him. 2. The rest of our earthly lives are spent transforming us into the image of His Son growing fruit. 3. The final harvest will occur as we see Him face to face in the Rapture when we receive our resurrected body. (1 Thess. 4: 14-17, I Cor. 15: 51-54) In Genesis 8:22 we read: “While all the days of the land remain, seedtime and harvest, cold, and heat, summer and winter, day and night will not cease.” Solomon reminds us in Ecclesiastes 3 that there is a season and a time for every activity under heaven. Seed—Time for planting seed—what kind of seed are we planting? Time—Must be times of growth, germination, watering, fertilizing—cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night—seasons of life. “This is the way, walk in it, when you turn to the right, or when you turn to the left.” (Isa. 30: 21) Harvest—God gives the increase—fruit, more fruit, much fruit; “Abide in Me, and I will abide in you. The branch cannot itself produce fruit, unless it abides in the vine. Likewise, you cannot produce fruit unless you abide in Me.” (Jn. 15:4) The fruit of the Spirit—Galatians 5: 22-23. God meets us where we are at, but to break the cycle we have to move on. It’s not enough to be stirred by the Spirit’s movings, we must be moved by the Spirit’s stirrings.
Spending time with God by studying the Word is a choice and only you can make it. When you make that choice to seek Him with your whole heart, it won’t take long before the desire to really know God and His Word becomes a natural response. May we crave God with our whole heart and seek Him through His Word. We are to study God’s Word and ask Him to search our hearts and help us to see what He wants us to see—about ourself—about Him. We must allow God’s Spirit to reveal truth to us—to get inside us—to become alive. Jesus is the Word—the written and living Word of God—the essence of God expressed in His Word. 2 Corinthians 3: 18 AV says, “And all of us, as with unveiled face, (because we) continued to behold (in the Word of God) as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are constantly being transfigured into His very own image in ever increasing splendor and from one degree of glory to another; (for this comes) from the Lord (Who is) the Spirit.” Moses was in the presence of God when he was given the Word of God—his face reflected the glory of God. The glory of God cannot be separated from the Word of God. John 1:1 makes it clear. “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God.” “Word” in the Greek is “logos” and is a thought or concept. Christ = Logos because in Him are embodied all the treasures of the divine wisdom—the collective thoughts of God. (I Cor. 1:24) Christ is the mind of God and Christians have the mind of Christ expressed in His Word. (Rom. 2: 16, Eph. 3: 9-10, Col. 2: 2-3) So then, if we as Christians are to reflect the Glory of God, we must spend time in the Word so that we can receive God’s wisdom and understanding—the full image of Christ. The full knowledge of Him cannot be comprehended in just a glance. As we continue to look into the image of Christ revealed in His Word, His glory begins to be reflected in our lives—by degrees we are transfigured into His likeness—our thoughts become His thoughts—our choices become His choices—our desires become His desires.
Jesus wants to be Lord of our lives! He wants to fill our hearts with His love. True happiness and contentment is not in a place but in a person—THE LORD JESUS CHRIST! What is God showing you that He wants to change in your life or bring to fruition in you so that Jesus is truly Lord in your life?