“Great is our Lord [Adonai] and abundant in strength; His understanding is infinite.” Psalm 147:5

​The name Adonai means firm, strong, lord, and master.  This name for God in Hebrew is ‘āḏôn and is used many times throughout the Bible in reference to God or men that points to authority over a domain.  At Ardently His, we talk a lot about God’s sovereignty over his creation, and this name certainly points to His sovereignty.  One thing about this name that stood out on the pages of my Bible was Him being Master over everything.  Do I really see God as my Master?  Do I serve Him with that kind of reverence?  Does my life reflect that He is my Master?  If I’m honest, not always.

​God is so many things – He’s kind, loving, gracious, full of wisdom, holy, powerful, all-knowing – and the list goes on.  Who can describe Him? But Master is rarely a name I think of when I think of God’s names.  We first see Him referred to as Adonai in Genesis 15.

​After these things, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying,

“Do not fear, Abram,

I am a shield to you;

Your reward shall be very great.”

Abram said, “O Lord God, what will You give me, since I am childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?”

This “Lord” that Abram used was āḏôn, Adonai. He was recognizing that God was his Master and was unafraid to ask questions about the promise God was making to him. That’s how we should view God, unafraid to approach Him because of what Jesus has done on our behalf, but with reverence for who He is. Giving over our desires and submitting to His direction honors Him and provides so much peace for our lives.

Another example that comes to mind is Mary, the mother of Jesus. When the angel Gabriel told her that she would give birth to the Messiah, Mary responded, “I am the Lord’s servant. May your word to me be fulfilled” (Luke 1:38). She submitted herself fully to God as her Master, even when she could not see all the answers or the path ahead. Her trust and obedience are such a beautiful model of what it looks like to accept God’s authority with faith and humility.

​Last year, I was having a conversation with one of my children about the Holy Spirit’s role in our lives. This child of mine was struggling with a sin issue and had not submitted to the Holy Spirit’s prompting to stop and run away from the temptation. I explained to them that the Holy Spirit is not loud. He is gentle and never raises His voice to us. Instead, just like Scripture tells us, there’s always a way of escape. It’s a gentle invitation to join Him on the escape route, but we always have the choice to choose His way or ours.

Sometimes it can be difficult to recognize the Holy Spirit’s gentle nudges in our busy and noisy lives.  Daily prayer and Bible reading is vital to the believer in learning how to hear His voice and weigh our thoughts against the truth of His Word.

​It is a deliberate choice to daily take up our cross and follow Jesus as our Master.  But why is this so hard for us?

​Let’s take a look at three areas that we can all struggle with in submitting to His Lordship.

​Our Time

​Our Treasures

​Our Talents

​Time –  It’s so easy to let our days fill up with anything we deem necessary for survival, but it takes practice and submission to stop and consult with the Father before committing or overcommitting our time. Learning to submit our time to God is a journey, and it’s normal to feel stretched as we grow in this. God is patient and kind as we learn to trust Him with our schedules. If this feels overwhelming, remember that He lovingly helps us as we seek to honor Him with our days. Before adding another thing to your calendar this week, have you prayed about it? Did God direct you to take on that extra task, or is it pride motivating you to do it all and lean into driving results?

​Just this morning, I had my agenda set for the day, and it was full. On my way to drop my car off for an oil change, I learned my parents were in town.  Instead of having the shuttle take me directly to work, I asked if I could have coffee with them. They joyfully accepted, and I’m so glad I didn’t just rush through my day and think, “I’ll do it another time.” It was a joy to spend time visiting with them, and I still managed to get everything on my to-do list done. I would have missed out on this blessing if I had ignored the Holy Spirit’s prompting to spend time with my parents.

​Talents – What is a talent that you have that could possibly bless someone?  How can you serve your local church with the talents and Spiritual gifts the Holy Spirit has given you?

​Recently, my boss asked our team to chip in on the housekeeping for our office.  We don’t hire a cleaning service, and we all work non-stop in our industry.  I love cleaning, so I committed to taking on two tasks: floors and windows.  When I arrived at the office, no one was there, and many of the tasks had not yet been completed.  I immediately felt the Holy Spirit prompt me to finish the job. I was more than happy to finish the job, and it brought me so much joy to help when I knew my co-workers were busier than I was this week.  What a blessing to use our talents to bless others!

​Treasures – are you sharing with a generous heart and an abundance mindset?  God has given us many treasures.  Maybe it’s money or a gift.  It could be as simple as lending someone a car or a lawnmower because theirs needs repair.  God has blessed us abundantly, and we are commanded to give generously. This is something that was instilled in me from an early age: nothing we own is really ours; God gives us resources to steward for His glory.  Living life with an open hand, knowing that God will always provide for our needs, is a peaceful place to be.

​If Jesus is my Master, my days will look so different.  It is a joy to serve him and never dreadful.  When we open our calendars and wallets and look for ways to use our gifts to bless others, it truly brings Him glory.  I love the verse in Acts 20:35, “It is more blessed to give than receive.”

​What is something in your life that needs to be submitted to His Lordship? He is so faithful to lead us; we just need to bring a willing heart. Submitting ourselves to God as our Master and willfully choosing to surrender our days to His authority will always produce joy in our hearts and bring Him glory.

Before you move on, I invite you to pause and reflect: Is there an area of your life that you sense God asking you to surrender to Him as your Master? Take a moment to talk with Him about it.

Lord, thank You for being my Master and loving me so well. I open my heart to You and ask You to show me the places in my life where I need to surrender more fully to Your Lordship. Give me the willingness and strength to yield myself to You. Help me trust in Your goodness and follow Your lead each day. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Ardently His,

Jessica

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