The passage we worked with last post, and will work with for a few more is this from Luke 6:46-49:
“Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? I will show you what he is like who comes to me and hears my words and puts them into practice. He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.”
The first sentence in this passage says a lot that we may very well overlook if we don't pause on it.
"Why do you call me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say?"
For the most part we use the word "Lord" and without realizing it we confuse it for Savior. I don't mean this to sound harsh, but most of the time when people get talking about the Lord and all that He has done and will do, it's typically in the context of Him saving us and providing for us. Granted, Jesus is Savior, and He provides for sure. But calling Him Lord is not so much about what He does but who He is to us, in relation to us. In authority over us. Or i could put it this way...
Calling Jesus Lord isn't so much about what He does but about what we do.
And calling Him Lord means we do what He says. Otherwise one could say we are like a man who builds a house on sand and... well, you know that one by now!
For most of us reading this, calling Him Lord has become synonymous with calling Him Savior, calling Him Jesus or even just plain ol' God. But i want you to evaluate your heart on this matter, and not just in getting the nomenclature correct.
There are some areas, if you will, of my heart that are quick to call Jesus Lord. Most of these areas are as a result of trials in my life i've been given and have overcome (physical illnesses, being single for a long time, divorce in the family, etc.) but all of these areas took time to dig deep and have a solid foundation of one thing: doing what i know Jesus would have me do.
However, there are other areas of my heart where i am not quick to do what Jesus says, and these areas are doomed to experience the storm. I've not dug deep, i continue to use cheap resources, find quick ways out, just get by, trust simply in forgiveness rather than build upon forgiveness with long-term sustained obedience. These areas are often areas that i have fear, doubt, wounds from the past, temptations and greed in. But notice this: all of those areas can also become areas where i can call Jesus "Lord." There's potential laden in all of them. So now it is up to me.
Will you call Jesus "Lord" and reflect to Him a life that shows it to be true?
