A right relationship with the Lord begins with “the fear of the Lord.” A reverential respect of Him and complete submission to Him puts Him in His right place and us in our right place.
We are brought into connection with the Lord Jesus not only in his character of grace, but also of lordship. What is the first mark He has stamped on your heart? This — that Jesus must be known and honored as Lord; I belong to Him; I must yield myself to Him in everything. Are you doing your own will or His? If you have large thoughts of grace, magnificent thoughts of glory to come, but have not said, “Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do?” you are not on right ground. You have to come to this: “My own plans go for nothing; I now belong to another.” If you have large thoughts of grace, has it taught you to yield your own will to God’s? If you have large thoughts of your privileges, do you see your responsibility? If you are talking of glory, is it connected with obedience? You may have right thoughts, nicely packed together, as for a long voyage, but they are of no good to you if there is not in you the spirit of obedience.
From The Bible Treasury