I am a regular taxi commuter and like to engage the drivers in conversation about their work and their lives. They are often knowledgeable, come from a surprisingly diverse background of previous jobs, and generally like sincere conversation. One of the common questions I ask is “do you have any religious persuasion?” I follow up by telling that I am a Christian and see what avenues for witness that opens. I often get a favourable response about Christianity, but often it is also coupled with a comment like this – “all religions teach good and they are all just different ways to God and to heaven.” Implicit in this comment is the thinking that Jesus Christ is just one of the many ‘gods’ of the world which religious people worship.
At times like this, we must first be sure of what the Bible says and the truth we hold on to. Paul wrote in Colossians :
“Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation, for through Him God created everything…
For God in all His fullness was pleased to live in Christ, and through Him God reconciled everything to Himself.
He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth
by means of Christ’s blood on the cross.” Colossians 1:15-16, 19-20 (NLT)
We see that Christ is not confined to being the head of the Christian church. He existed before anything else, He is the Creator of the Universe, and puts all earthly powers in their places and holds everything together. Finally, He reconciled fallen man to God through His death on the cross. He is truly LORD OF ALL.
When I encounter a response like that from the taxi driver, I immediately pray quietly for wisdom; I ask for the Holy Spirit’s guidance. Sometimes I am led to respond by explaining my faith and the central place of the Lord Jesus Christ in my life; sometimes to listen more and seek clarification. Often, the person shares about some need, and sometimes a spiritual dimension arises which may give me an opportunity to give a word of encouragement from the Bible.
Even as I do this from time to time, I also remind myself that the Lordship of Christ means that I must allow Christ to take hold of my life and permeate every aspect of my being. As I work, make decisions and interact with others, apart from just using the knowledge and intellect which God has also given me, I seek to be in conversation with Him seeking His involvement to illuminate, confirm and sometimes to even overrule what I have planned. In this way I consciously seek to live “not just by sight, but by faith”. My desire is to do God’s will step by step in all matters big or small.
The Lordship of Christ is not a difficult truth which only longtime Christians can hope to enjoy. Apart from knowledge of the truth and belief, it is also a matter of day to day application in all the small aspects of our lives. This way we get to experience the reality of God in our lives moment by moment, and also get built up to stand the test when the big and tough decisions come our way.
May God help all of us as we seek to submit to the Lordship of Christ daily.
– By Elder Daniel John, YCKC bulletin 16 & 17 Feb 2013