Trusting the Lord Who Loves Me

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Kellin Gibson - Writer and Proofreader

There was a time when the declaration “Jesus is Lord” felt more like a warning than good news.

Whenever I saw those very words stretched across a roadside billboard in big, bold letters, they seemed impossible to ignore. What I read was: Jesus is Lord. And you had better believe it—or else.

But over time, God began to change the way I understood them.

In 2 Thessalonians 1:11-12 (NKJV), the Apostle Paul prays that God would “fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness and the work of faith with power, that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and you in Him.”

I love that Paul doesn’t paint a picture of someone straining to be worthy—for God is the One who supplies the power. And all of it, Paul says, happens “according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.”

Therefore, I don’t have to rely on my own strength to become the person God is calling me to be. I can rest in the truth that He is already at work within me, giving me the strength I need to live by faith.

And that is what I find most beautiful: Jesus is not only my Savior. He is my Lord.

Because I need both.

As my Savior, He breaks the chains of sin I could never break on my own. And as my Lord, He teaches me how to walk in that freedom.

Submitting to Jesus, then, doesn’t have to look like fearful obedience to a harsh master. I can surrender to Him with humility—and even joy—because I’m surrendering to the One who loves me. I can trust Him with every area of my life, including the habits I long to break and the fears that hold me back.

His lordship means I don’t have to figure out freedom on my own. I have Someone to follow.

Now whenever I see the words “Jesus is Lord,” I have the assurance that I don’t have to be ruled by every voice that competes for my heart. I can look at the things that try to master me and say: “I belong to Jesus.”

Ask yourself: What has become the lord of your life? Is it fear, a relationship, or an addiction? Whatever it is, name it before the Lord. Then, place it into His hands and say, “This does not get to be my lord. You do.”

May Paul’s prayer become our own:

Dear Jesus, I am thankful that I belong to You. When You ask me to follow You, give me the faith to take the next step and trust that You will provide the grace I need. Let Your love for me become visible in my life and in the lives of others. In Your name, I pray. Amen.

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