Lord should mean more than a word

I hope and pray that my question, taken from Jesus’ question in Luke 6:46, will stir your thinking today. “Lord" (Master) needs to be more than a word on our tongue.

Jesus’ pulls the disciples aside, in Luke 6:46-49, and raises a question that can hit hard; a question that lands with a punch. It strikes at the heart of our commitment and His Lordship in our lives. When He asks the question, “Why do you call me Lord, Lord, and then do not do what I say?” it seems like He was trying to say, “Why do you act like we are close, pretend to have a deep relationship with Me, and then do not do what I say?”

The Random House dictionary defines the word “lord” as someone who has dominion over others. I found it very interesting that the sixth definition that the dictionary gives for Lord is the Savior, Jesus Christ. Jesus’ question was for those who claimed to follow Christ yet, maybe their actions showed differently. Calling Him Lord doesn’t make it so.

A person’s name is a Hebrew expression of intimacy. When God speaks to Abraham at Mount Moriah as He is about to plunge a knife into the breast of Isaac, He says, “Abraham, Abraham.” When I pray, I begin with “Lord …” for the three in one. God, my “Abba” Father … God the Son – Jesus, my Savior and older brother … and God, the Holy Spirit – is the present operating “Lord” of my daily life.

If you asked people if they loved Jesus Christ they would say, “Sure, I do.” But Jesus’ idea of love is different than that. Because He says in John 14:21 “Whoever knows my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me.” For someone to call Christ Lord implies that He has dominion or control over their life; that they have surrendered themself to Him.

The Leaning Tower of Pisa has been a fascination to me for years. It is a popular tourist site. It’s amazing that someone’s lack of forethought could become such a popular attraction. The Tower of Pisa in Italy is going to fall soon. Scientists travel yearly to track the building’s slow descent. Quite significantly, the word ‘pisa’ means ‘marshy land,’ which could give a clue to why the tower began to lean even before it was completed.

Let’s face it, there are a lot of people in the church that will call Christ, “Lord”, and then go out and live life under their own control and in their own way. If there was a true intimacy you would follow what He wants for your life. Here’s what may be the “knockout punch” for some: Matthew 7:21 says, “Not everyone who says to me, ’Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.”

Looking back at our text this one last time, Christ gives us the result of what happens when we do put His words into practice. In verse 48, He said, “He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock.” More often, I need to say “Lord, you take over the steering wheel and drive.” As, the great song says, “my times are in your hands.”