Text by Mari Anjeli Crisanto
Read:
s
Psalm 16 (NASB)
1 Protect me, God, for I take refuge in You.
2 I said to the Lord, “You are my Lord;
I have nothing good besides You.”
3 As for the saints who are on the earth,
They are the majestic ones; all my delight is in them.
4 The pains of those who have acquired another god will be multiplied;
I will not pour out their drink offerings of blood,
Nor will I take their names upon my lips.
5 The Lord is the portion of my inheritance and my cup;
You support my lot.
6 The measuring lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
Indeed, my inheritance is beautiful to me.
7 I will bless the Lord who has advised me;
Indeed, my mind instructs me in the night.
8 I have set the Lord continually before me;
Because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.
9 Therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoices;
My flesh also will dwell securely.
10 For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol;
You will not allow Your Holy One to undergo decay.
11 You will make known to me the way of life;
In Your presence is fullness of joy;
In Your right hand there are pleasures forever.
Reflect:
“I said to the Lord, ‘You are my Lord; I have nothing good besides You’” (Psalm 16: 2). “Lord” – oh how we take this title of God for granted. We say, “Thank You, Lord!” or “Praise the Lord!” when something good happens. We pray, “Help me, Lord” when we are in trouble or whisper “Heal me, Lord” when we are sick or in need of comfort. And how many times do we repeat, “Yes, Lord!” whenever someone leads in prayer?
Merriam-Webster defines “lord” as “one having power and authority over others”. In other words, God is our Leader who has the ultimate power and authority over us! But God, being a good God, does not dictate our lives. He has given us free will and the freedom to go on our own path.
Yet how great is it to be advised by God (Psalm 16:7)? How wonderful is it to have someone show us the way of life (Psalm 16:11)? We will not be disappointed when we make Jesus our Lord. Because of His leadership, we will not be shaken. Our hearts will be glad, our glory rejoices, and we will be secure. He will not allow our souls to go to darkness. He will lead us to His presence where there is fullness of joy.
Respond:
Has someone asked you to pray to allow Jesus to become your Lord and Savior? Perhaps you have known what it meant for Jesus to save you but it is only now that you have understood what it means for Jesus to be Lord over you. Will you allow Him to come and take over all aspects of your life as He offers his free gift of salvation to you?
If you have long been saved but haven’t really made Jesus lead all aspects of your life, submit your heart to Him that He may indeed be your Lord not just in title, but in truth.
Mari Anjeli Crisanto currently resides in the Salad Bowl of the Philippines - La Trinidad, Benguet! She is a wife, a mom, a full-time educator, and a daughter of the King. She worships God through songs and scribbles. Words deeply impact her. This is why she loves God's Word because, more powerful than any other word, it can cut through us, transforming you and me.
AUTHOR: MARI ANJELI CRISANTO