Day 35: Who’s Ruling??? (Luke 17:20-25) 31 Mar 09

I didn’t write this devotion on 31st Mar, which is yesterday. I am simply too lazy to do so. I was having my off day, I brought my sick daughter to see a doctor, I played with her, I had my lunch, I watched Second World War documentaries by BBC, I slept, I played with Alethea, I had my dinner, I watched TV programs, I did some house chores, I put Alethea to bed together with my wife and I also slept. So I didn’t do my devotion. I felt uneasy, a sense of guilt, but I told myself: it’s my off day after all; I deserved to take a break. I decided what I should do, rather than seeking God for His direction.

As I read this devotion article, I know God is speaking to me about who is ruling in me; self or Christ? This is a constant struggle for many Christians, including myself. We claim to be Christian and claim that Christ lives and reigns in us; but in reality, we decide the area whereby Christ can rule and where He cannot. We choose the Scripture which we want to believe and reject those teachings which are simply not suitable to our personality. But aren’t we supposed to be ruled by Christ completely?

As a Presbyterian, our view of eschatology (the study of the end times) has to do with our view of when and where is the Kingdom of God. There are basically three views: Pre-millennium, Post-millennium, and A-millennium. I don’t think I want to explain this in detail, because it can be very complicated. The Presbyterian understanding will be a reformed one, that is generally going for A-millennium, which actually means the millennium rule of Christ is symbolic and as long we are called Christians, we are that Kingdom of God as He rules in us. In other words, the symbolic millennium rule of Christ is already now in us but not yet in its fullness.

I am to be ruled by Christ. I am a subject to Him. This is easier to say than done. Try to live a day asking God for everything He wants you to do, and submits to Him. It is not easy. It is easier for us to rule our lives and He rules our ‘spiritual’ lives.

As we look to the Cross, we realize that He has the right to rule in us. We have to deny and die to our ‘self’. If our ‘self’ is died, someone has to be ruling in us, and it has to be Christ. Are you ruled by Christ or by your died self? Maybe, today is a good day to do a simple self-check: Who’s ruling?

HHS…

Abel…