Who's in charge here?

 

Jesus tells a parable about “a nobleman who went off to a distant country to obtain the kingship for himself and then to return.”  Yet a number of the people who would be his subjects resisted his authority and power and contested his right to be their leader; at the end of Jesus’ parable, the man who had indeed become king simply and highhandedly had those people killed (Luke 19:11-28). 

In 2^nd Maccabees, the story is told of a mother and her seven sons who chose to remain faithful to the eternal king, God Himself, at great cost to themselves, not only the loss of their lives but also the great pain which they suffered (2 Maccabees 7:20-31).

Both of these stories lead me to reflect on the question of where we place our allegiance and loyalty.  Who or what is ultimately in charge of our lives?  Who or what do we depend on for our life and direction?

We have two possible choices: we can completely turn our backs on God and reject who He is and what He asks of us.  We can deny that Jesus has any power over us, that He has a word to say about who we are, and we can even deny that He exists.  We can live in total independence of Him and live more or less comfortably on the level of things and the satisfaction that they give us.  This self-centered isolation is what we call "sin," and Jesus will let us live that way, eternally, if that’s what we want.

Or we can be enthusiastic, can truly embrace our King and devote ourselves to Him, letting Him change our lives.

Now we might also try to get by in a passive manner, just going with the crowd and getting along, but Jesus says of people such as this that "I shall spit you out because you are neither hot nor cold" (Revelation 3:16).

Am I really satisfied with a life limited to consumer goods, the media, and corporal satisfactions?  Is "passive" and "getting by" enough for me?  Or do I want to consciously choose my life and my loves and be responsible for who I am?  Will I take my life into my own hands—and put it firmly into the hands of our King, our God's hands?