Have you ever watched a military movie where the drill sergeant calls his soldiers to come to him? He will shout, “Front and center!” Maybe some of you have served our country and you remember this command all too well. This is a simple “call” for someone to present themselves directly front and center to the one calling so they can receive his/her orders. Well this term may have originated in the military but it has been a Christian teaching for thousands of years.

In the gospels, we find the accounts of Jesus calling His apostles. In each one He asked each of them to follow Him and the Bible says they followed. In order to follow, someone has to be leading. As a child we used to play Follow the Leader. I always wanted to be the leader because the leader was in front. This is the place the Lord desires to be in all His children’s lives. He doesn’t need to follow us. We don’t know the right way to go, but Jesus does. If we are obedient and follow the Master, He will lead us into paths of righteousness. This is the proper place for the Creator to be in relation to His creation.

Another crucial place Jesus desires to be in our lives is not only leading or in front, but also in the center of our lives. Our entire lives should revolve around Jesus; from the places we go, what we say, the decisions we make, how we dress, in our workplace, in our homes, in our churches, in our schools, and in our government. In Revelation 1 we see a beautiful illustration of Jesus being in the center. We read of the 7 golden candlesticks, which are the 7 churches. In the middle of the candlesticks is the Lord Jesus. (Just a reminder, the church isn’t a building of brick, wood, and mortar, but rather the people who have been washed in the blood of Jesus Christ and have their names recorded in glory.) You see friend, my Lord desires not only to lead us but He also deserves the proper position within yours and my life. Jesus should be the center of our lives.

Does Jesus lead you or do you tell Him which way you desire to go? Does He sit upon the throne of your heart? If not, He doesn’t have that place He desires, and you can’t receive any directions from Him. You may be asking, “Why does He deserve this place in my life?” Well, if Jesus has saved your soul then that is why He deserves it. He took us off a road of destruction, headed for Hell, and placed us on the King’s Highway. He secured our eternal abode and paid the debt in full. He gave us a life of joy, peace, love, and hope. He gave us direction when there wasn’t any. He changed us from children of the darkness to a child of the King. The devil no longer has dominion over us and we have got victory in Jesus’ name. Oh yes, He deserves to be front and center in our lives. Why don’t you accept the call and present yourself “front and center” to Jesus today.

Tune in to WBCU 103.5 FM Sundays at noon for the Shining Light Broadcast. I preach a 15-minute message that I pray will be a blessing to those who listen. If you have a prayer concern, comment, or question, please write to: Voice of Victory, Attn: David Burrell, PO Box 1221, Pacolet, SC 29372, message me on Facebook, or e-mail me at daveburrell@live.com.