Spiritual discipleship | diet 6

Recognition of His Ownership

“He is Lord of all” (Acts10:36).

The word "Lord" here carries the idea of an owner who has control of all his possessions. Unless we recognize that fact in practice, Christ’s reign over us is purely nominal. We are His by creation, and we are His by purchase. Now we are His by self-surrender. 

All that we have we hold as trustees, not as owners. But His gifts are to be enjoyed. God “richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment” (1 Tim6:17).

The story of Sir John Ramsden of Huddersfield, England, provides an interesting sidelight on this aspect of truth. I have checked the accuracy of the story with an old man from Huddersfield, who, when a boy, used to run messages for a Quaker and was rewarded with an orange and a penny. When quite a young man Sir John saw that Huddersfield was destined from its location in Yorkshire 

to become a great industrial center. Property was certain to acquire a largely increased value in the near future. He therefore began quietly to purchase houses and lands, and in a few years he was possessor of the whole of the town, with the exception of a cottage and garden that belonged to a Quaker gentleman. All the overtures of the real estate men having proved futile, Sir John Ramsden himself called upon the Quaker to see what he could accomplish by personal influence. The usual courtesies having passed between the knight and the Quaker, Sir John Ramsden said, “I presume you know the object of my visit" “Yes,” said the Quaker, “I have heard that thou has bought the whole of Huddersfield with the exception 

of this cottage and garden, and I have been earnestly solicited by thy agents to sell this. But I do not want to sell. The cottage was built for my own convenience and suits me well. The garden, too, is laid out to suit my tastes. Why should I sell them?”

Sir John Ramsden said, “I am prepared to make you a very generous proposal. I will put a golden sovereign on every inch of ground covered by this cottage and garden, if you will sell" Sir John felt sure a proposal of such nature would not be in vain. So he inquired, “Will you sell” “No,” said the Quaker with a mischievous twinkle in his eye. “Not unless thou’ It put them on edge" That was altogether out of the question and somewhat chagrined the knight rose to leave. As he was going the Quaker said, “Remember, Sir John, that Huddersfield belongs to thee and to me, "

Although the Quaker owned a very small part of the town, he could walk over all the rest of Sir John’s town to reach the part that belonged to him. In every life in which Christ’s claims are recognized only in part, a similar situation arises. Satan can say to Him, “That disciple belongs to You and to me! He is a Christian worker, but I control part of his life" Where Christ is not Lord in practice, life becomes a  battleground of conflicting interests. 

Author: J. Oswald Sanders.