Two ways to live

When I was in college I was confronted with the idea that there are only two ways to live: with Jesus as  the Lord (ruler) of my life, or with myself as the ruler.

Previously I didn't see any problem with my being the ruler of my own life.  And I felt like I was doing a pretty good job:  I got high grades, had lots of leadership positions, and even got to meet and speak with President Bush my senior year of high school as an honor for some of the volunteer work I was doing.  I got a good scholarship to Ohio State University and was excited to jump into "the real world" with two feet.

And when I got to college, Jesus turned my world upside down.  You see, in high school, Jesus was one activity on my list of many activities.  I was able to check off the "religion" box on my to-do list by going to church or reading my Bible or praying.  But as a freshman in college I was suddenly confronted with two realities: first of all, I was created to be an eternal being, but most of my "accomplishments" were temporal, things that wouldn't even matter in a few years let alone in a thousand years.  I was devoted to things (and even worshipping things) that were not only worthless, but sinful (even "good" things like volunteer work are sin when they are done for the wrong motives).  Secondly, I saw that Jesus alone was worthy of all my devotion, my time, my energy, my everything.  Absolutely nothing else in the world comes close to being worthy as God is worthy.

I realized that my "pretty good life" was just dust and dirty rags before a perfect, holy God.  But I also saw that through the new life that Jesus offered, God could use even weak and sinful me to be a part of His story of redemption for the world.

My life made a 180 turn my freshman year, and I haven't looked back.  But it hasn't been easy: in fact, I have learned that the more you want to know and serve God, the harder your life will be.  As Deitrich Bonhoeffer says, "When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die." Over the years, I am dying more and more to myself, and living more and more (by His grace) to God.

To hear more about what the Bible says about the two ways to live, the choice we all face, click here: