Introduction.
“But in your heart set apart Christ as Lord.”
This is an exhortation to make an inner commitment to Christ. Set apart—conscious, deliberate, calculated, choice.
From this initial surrender all I do and say will be in His will, for His pleasure, honor and glory.
As my Lord, He will dominate every area of my life.
As my Master, He will control and govern my possessions, my occupation (secular or spiritual), my library, my marriage, my spare time…nothing will be excluded from His control.
As my Sovereign Lord he will have absolute ownership and uncontrolled power over my life.
He actually wanted Jacob for Himself—body, soul and spirit. Jacob had lived his own life. He was his own man. He had lived for his family. He had ridden over all opposition rough-shod. He had lied, cheated and connived all his life. He deceived his father, stolen from his brother, and almost ruined his uncle Laban. He was a very rich man. The Lord wanted to change all this. Jacob resisted every effort to change Him. Finally, the Lord touched his hip joint, putting it out of place. In a moment Jacob’s strength was gone. He laid down the arms of rebellion, he surrendered totally to the Lord. His nature was changed, his name was changed. He became the father of Israel.