Luke 18:19 “Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered. “No one is good–except God alone.”

I think Jesus may have been asking here, “Do you acknowledge me as God?” That’s a vitally important question. Jesus famously asked His 12 disciples, “Who do you say that I am?” eliciting Peter’s magnificent confession that “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.” (Matthew 16:15-16) Sadly, this rich young man wasn’t ready to make that confession fully, and I think a lot of church members are in the same boat. It all comes down to a question of lordship. If Jesus is not your Lord, then He isn’t your Savior, either. That’s a little easier to explain in Japanese, because the Japanese for “Savior” is “Saving Lord.” Paul famously said, “if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9) It’s important to note that confessing with your mouth isn’t the same as simply saying, it is acknowledging verbally something that is true internally. That is to say, if you have made Jesus your Lord and admit it out loud, believing that He died for you and rose again, then you will be saved: you have entered into the family of the redeemed. We have a lot of trouble understanding and submitting to Lordship, but here again Japanese can provide an illustration. Someone who has a pet is a “pet-keeping lord.” That is, they are the owner, and have full authority over the animal, whether the animal cooperates or not. When we acknowledge Jesus as Lord, we are saying, “You are my owner; I belong to You. You are the ultimate authority in my life.” The rich young man was not ready to make that confession.

For a long time I have acknowledged on several levels that Jesus is Lord, but I still don’t always act like it. In its fullest expression it means never complaining about anything, never doubting that His plan is absolute and perfect, always giving Him the thanks, praise, and adoration He deserves. I don’t think I’m there yet! That’s particularly problematical because I’m an example to many; I’m to be showing them how to live. If I fail to submit to Jesus’ Lordship consistently, they aren’t likely to believe it’s really possible for them. The rub is, it’s not possible for any of us without the help of the Holy Spirit! I need to be consistent in seeking and accepting the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit, neither quenching Him nor grieving Him. (1Thessalonians 5:19, Ephesians 4:30) Only then will I walk in full submission to Jesus my Lord, for His glory.

Father, thank You for arranging that I have a picture of Brother Minoru and his three dogs right in front of me for this morning’s time with You. Thank You that You keep teaching, training, and growing me. Help me not protest the process, but rather trust You fully, not just with my circumstances but with who I am. Thank You that by Your grace You are transforming me into whom I ought to be, because that’s who I want to be, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!