In various sectors of business, it is not unusual to read or hear of high profile appointments. According to the online Merriam-Webster dictionary, to appoint is “to choose (someone) to have a particular job; to give (someone) a position or duty.” The opposite is also true in that we also hear of individuals being relieved of the duties to which they were appointed; a somewhat softer way of saying they were fired or at the very least, demoted. Initially appointed to their positions and later evaluated against a set of predetermined standards and expectations, these individuals came up short and ended up dealing with the consequences of their actions or inaction. One could say they were dis-appointed.
Provoked by the song “Jesus at the Center” by Israel and New Breed, these thoughts came to mind as I reflected on God’s place in my life and generally, in the life of the believer. When we first accepted Jesus and made Him Lord over our lives, it was our high-profile appointment! We resolved to grow spiritually, to, as John Ortberg describes it, “live increasingly as Jesus would in our unique place – to perceive what Jesus would perceive if He looked through our eyes, to think what He would think, to feel what He would feel, and therefore to do what He would do.” However, somewhere along the way, amidst the hustle and bustle of every day living and jaded by our experiences, we have dis-appointed God; we have relieved Him of His duties and appointed ourselves in His place.
Often times the change is subtle and without constantly examining who is really in charge of our lives, it is easy to believe that because we still go through our spiritual exercises, that God is in charge. But the question we must ask ourselves is: how much of what we say, do, and think reflect His ways, His mind, His heart? To quote a line from the song, “Nothing else matters, nothing in this world will do.” If He is in charge and we live as if we are, our disobedience is insubordination in disguise. To us Jesus asks the question: “And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?” (Luke 6:46, KJV). Ouch!
So, in this our time together we come full circle. I challenge you in the same way I challenge myself with the question: who is really in charge? When Jesus is at the center of our lives then everything – our thoughts, actions, attitudes, decisions, the way we live our lives – revolves around Him and His words. Where is He in yours? Has He been relieved of His duties? Have you dis-appointed Him? If Jesus is your co-pilot, it is time to swap seats. Today is a good time to make things right.
