Jesus came to rule hearts and minds not lands and entitlements. He came to free people from the worst tyranny possible – slavery to sin, Satan, and a world ruled by greed and lust for power and wealth.

Friday of the Ninth week in Ordinary Time

2 Timothy 3:10-17

Psalm 119:157, 160, 161, 165, 166, 168

M ark 12:35-37 And as Jesus taught in the temple, he said, "How can the scribes say that the Christ is the son of David? (36) David himself, inspired by the Holy Spirit, declared, `The Lord said to my Lord, Sit at my right hand, till I put thy enemies under thy feet.' (37) David himself calls him Lord; so how is he his son?" And the great throng heard him gladly.

Meditation by Don Schwager

W hat kind of ruler does the world need today? And who can establish true and lasting peace and justice? When the people of Israel settled into the Promised Land, they wanted a king to unite and rule them like the other nations around them. Their first king, Saul, failed to establish a dynasty. But when David was anointed king, God made a covenant with him and promised that his dynasty would last not just for a hundred generations but forever. Among the Jews the most common title for the Messiah (the Hebrew word for Christ or the Anointed One) was the Son of David. The Jews looked forward to the long-expected Savior who would come from the line of David. Jesus was often addressed with that title, especially by the crowds (Mark 10:47ff, Matthew 9:27; 12:23).

Why did Jesus question the Jews on the claim that their Messiah or Christ would be the son of David? After all the New Testament makes clear that Jesus himself is a direct descendant from the line of David's throne (Romans 1:3, 2 Timothy 2:8, Matthew 1:1-17, Luke 3:23-38). Jesus posed the question to make his hearers understand that the Messiah is more than the son of David. Jesus makes his point in dramatic fashion by quoting from one of David's prophetic psalms, Psalm 110: The Lord said to my Lord, Sit at my right hand, till I put your enemies under your feet. How can the son be the lord of his father? Jesus is not only the son of David but also he is first and foremost the Son of God eternally begotten of the Father.

The Messiah King whom God promised to send would not only come from David's line, but would be greater than any earthy ruler who came before or would come after. Jesus claimed a sovereignty that only God can claim – a sovereignty that extends not only to the ends of the earth but to the heavens as well. But the way Jesus would establish his kingdom was far different from any of the expectations of the tiny nation of Israel. Jesus came to rule hearts and minds not lands and entitlements. He came to free people from the worst tyranny possible – slavery to sin, Satan, and a world ruled by greed and lust for power and wealth.

Paul the Apostle states that no one can say 'Jesus is Lord' except by the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:3). It is the role of the Holy Spirit to make the Lord Jesus present and known in our lives. We can accept the Lord Jesus or reject him, love him or ignore him. He will not force his rule upon us. But the consequences of our choice will not only shape our present life but our destiny as well. What does it mean to acknowledge that Jesus is Lord? The word lord means ruler or king – the one who is owed fealty and submission. The Lord and Master of our lives is the person or thing we give our lives over to and submit to in a full way.

We can be ruled by many things – our possessions, the love of money, our unruly passions, alcohol, drugs, and other forms of addictions. Only one Lord and Master can truly set us free to love and serve others selflessly and to be loved as God intended from the beginning. When we acknowledge that Jesus is Lord we invite him to be the king of our heart, master of our home, our thoughts, our relationships, and everything we do. Is the Lord Jesus the true king and master of your heart and do you give him free reign in every area of your life?

"Lord Jesus, I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of David and the Son of God. You are my Lord and I willingly submit myself to your rule in my life. Be Lord and King of my life, my thoughts, heart, home, relationships, work, and all that I do."

Supplementary Reading

A Spirit of Unity

May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus - Romans 15:5

Do you find that you are surrounded by people all the time, but yet you still feel disconnected? In your family, is everyone going in different directions, always busy, always doing their own thing? I've found that we really have to make a conscious effort to walk and live in unity with the people in our lives and not allow distractions to pull us apart. Walking in a spirit of unity goes beyond just getting along, it's about going the extra mile to support one another and lift each other up. If you want to get the most out of life, you've got to draw a line in the sand and say, "I'm going to slow down and connect with the people I love. I'm not going to take my relationships for granted."

Start today by calling a friend or family member that you haven't talked to in a while. Reach out to them and let them know they are important. Make time to have dinner as a family and support each other's activities. When you walk and live in unity, you bless the Lord and open the door for His supernatural blessing in your own life in return!

Father in heaven, thank You for the relationships in my life. Help me find creative ways to connect with the people I love. Help me to walk and live in a spirit of unity as You commanded. In Jesus' Name. Amen.—Joel & Victoria Osteen

For archive of previous Daily Meditation postings, please visit http://his-ways-better-than-our-ways.blogspot.com/

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GOD BLESS US ALL!

O Theos Na Mas Evlogisi!
PRAY as if everything depended on HIM. ACT as if everything depended on YOU.