“Master.”
It’s a hot button word.
What do we think of when we hear it?
Is it an oppressive association or a positive one?
According to its definition, it means…
“somebody or something controlling or influencing events or other things.”
Yeah, that definition doesn’t seem to make us jump up and down with enthusiasm, does it?
And, let’s be honest, if we’re Christians, we struggle with obedience to the spiritual law. Let’s face it, no matter how long we’ve accepted Yahshua as our Lord and Savior, no matter how much we’ve read the Bible, or have gone to church, we still want to run the show- our way. We may say we follow “The Master,” in theory, but, with regard to our feelings about the issue, we want to be our own masters.
“Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ.”
Matthew 23:10
And that thinking usually gets us into trouble. Addictions, compulsions, vices, and bad decisions are usually some products of that independent declaration.
We get confused and distracted. We start depending on and exalting our way of living.
We get enticed by it.
And yes, that usually produces sin. And sin kills.
“But each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.
James 1:14-15
It may not seem obvious, at first.
In fact, we may even think our way is working.
We have everything handled. We found our coping strategy, our identity, our solution, our answer in whatever we’ve chosen to focus on.
“No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.”
Matthew 6:24
But Our Father remembers “we are but dust” (Psalms 103:14).
We need Yahshua as our Master, not because He wants to boss us around, but rather because He knows, left to ourselves, we will only head toward destruction.
Deciding on, and living out, the commitment to follow Him and make Him our Master is a challenge. There are so many distractions competing for our attention; they’re often alluring and have loud voices, trying to reach our ears and hearts.
Like it or not, we need a Master and a Savior. We cannot save ourselves.
If we could have, we would have done so by now.
The Most High is our first love; He’s programmed in every heart. However, life often distracts us and causes us to listen to other things.
Let’s respond, like Nipper.
Let’s choose to turn to Yahshua, be led by Him, and live for Him.
No matter how far away we may have strayed, we can turn back to Him.
“Father, I come to you in the Name of Yahshua. I confess I’ve listened to other things instead of the Gospel Truth, found in Your Son, my Lord and Savior. I ask for forgiveness for that. I now, by faith, return to Your Love and Truth, I ask for Yahshua to be my Lord, my Savior, and, yes, my Master. Help me to live my life, from this point on, listening and following only Your Voice. Thank You for all You’ve done, are doing, and will do for me in the future. Help me to listen to and hear You; help me to follow. In Yahshua’s Name, I pray. Amen.”
Copyright © 2025 by Sheryle Cruse
