A Disciple of Jesus …Has Jesus in the Centre
What's our first thought when we wake up in the morning? Is it to scroll through social media, checking Twitter, Snapchat, TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp or whatnot? Maybe that's also our last thought at night, as we cling to the smart phone in bed before we go to sleep.
Wouldn't we prefer Jesus to be our first thought in the morning and our last thought at night? Wouldn't we also want Jesus to be our main focus throughout the day? A disciple of Jesus puts Jesus at the centre. If we put social media first, then our thoughts will be full of what we have seen on Twitter and Instagram. More worryingly, social media content will shape how we view things, rather than allowing Jesus and His Word to nurture us.
In the first three chapters of Numbers, we read about how God gave strict instructions for how He wanted the Israelites to set up camp whilst they were wandering through the wilderness on the way to the Promised Land. Each tribe was allocated a specific place around the Tabernacle. So, the Tabernacle (representing God's presence) was at the very centre of the camp. Similarly, today, God wants us to put Jesus at the very centre of our lives:
Jesus at the centre of it all
Jesus at the centre of it all
From beginning to the end
It will always be, it's always been You, Jesus, Jesus
And nothing else matters
Nothing in this world will do
Jesus You're the centre
Ev'rything revolves around You, Jesus, You
Jesus be the centre of my life
Jesus be the centre of my life
From beginning to the end
It will always be it's always been You, Jesus, Jesus
From my heart to the heavens, Jesus be the centre
It's all about You, yes, it's all about You
From my heart to the heavens, Jesus be the centre
It's all about You, yes, it's all about You
Jesus be the centre of Your church
Jesus be the centre of Your church
And ev'ry knee will bow
And ev'ry tongue shall confess You … Jesus, Jesus.
(Adam Ranney, Israel Houghton and Micah Massey)
In Philippians 1:21, Paul declares: For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
Elisabeth Elliot, the wife of the martyred missionary Jim Elliot, once said, "Nothing is worth living for if it's not also worth dying for". Are the things that we are living for worth Christ dying for?
So, how do we go about making Jesus central to our lives? Here are five suggestions:
Submit to God's rule in our lives. James 4:7 - Submit yourselves, therefore, to God.
Pursue holiness. 2 Corinthians 7:1 - Dear friends, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that can defile our body or spirit. And let us work toward complete holiness because we fear God.
Be faithful in prayer. 1 Thessalonians 5:17 - Pray without ceasing.
Study the scriptures. Deuteronomy 8:3 - We do not live by bread alone; rather, we live by every word that comes from the mouth of theLord.
Spend time in praise and worship. Psalm 145:2 - I will praise you every day; yes, I will praise you forever.
Prayer
Jesus, I want you to be at the very centre of my life. Please forgive me for when I have let other things come in the way of my relationship with You. Help me to submit to You, to want to be like You, and to spend time with You, speaking to You, listening to You, meditating upon Your Word, and giving You all of my praise and worship. Amen!
