Have you ever taken a new car for a test drive, or perhaps borrowed a friend’s car? You are behind the wheel, on the open road, and in complete control. The only problem is, it doesn’t belong to you and it has to be returned. The owner dictates the terms. We have no right to use another person’s property as we please. As Christians, that’s something we need to remember! Having been redeemed, we belong to Jesus and He alone has the right to dictate how we live, what we do with our life. I believe it was James Smith who wrote the following on this subject:
Jesus has purchased you with His own blood, quickened you by His Spirit, espoused you to Himself, and intends to glorify you with Himself for ever. He claims you, and says, “I have called thee by thy name; thou art Mine.” He will provide for you as His own, and spare you, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.
You are His beloved bride. His portion. A member of His body, of His flesh, and of His bones. In loving you, He loveth Himself. He requires you to live under the daily conviction that you are His; that all you have is His. You have nothing of your own; all you have He freely gave, and all you have you profess to have surrendered to Him.
Think more of Jesus than of His gifts, cleave to Him, and not to what you may be called to surrender. He will never take anything from you, but He will give you something better. If He strip you, it is to teach you; to lead you to live upon Himself, and to find your heaven in His company, grace, and offices.
Do you live, walk, and act, so as to leave the impression upon the minds of observers that you are the Lord’s? Do you expect Him to preserve, guide, and supply you? Let conscience answer.
Lord! am I Thine, entirely Thine?
Purchased and saved by blood Divine?
With full consent, Thine I would be,
And own Thy sovereign right in me.
Living in the awareness that we belong to God affects our attitude regarding everything in life. Having been bought, we are bond-servants, forever indebted to do the will of the One to whom we belong. In living for His glory we find our highest good! — HDS
