Probably one of the hardest ideas to come to terms with is that we are not our own.
Yahweh has given us the gift of free choice but that doesn’t mean we are free from authority. It’s just a question of who or what authority we choose. Ultimately our choice is what or who to become slaves to.
Slavery in my mind, was not the destiny of a man. It carried with it the image of abuse, complete subjection to the will and whim of another, no authority of our own, no freedom to disagree, to make my own decisions, go my own way, to glorify myself. Slavery was painted as an unhappy, hopeless existence for the slave.
The Scriptures tell us we are not our own. “…The fact is, you don’t belong to yourselves; for you were bought at a price….” 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 CJB.
Our freedom is to choose who or what will be our master. “Don’t you know that if you present yourselves to someone as obedient slaves, then, of the one whom you are obeying, you are slaves… Romans 6:16 CJB.
I never thought of myself as a slave. I was brought up to think my life was mine to live and I was free to and could do whatever I wanted, be whoever I wanted within limits. And within limits no one else could infringe on that, that is, impose their will on me.
That was a lie, wasn’t it? And I believed it.
In actuality I was a slave in some fashion to the laws of the land, to my boss, his time table and his wants, to the well being of my family, to the acquiring and upkeep of physical things, to the secrets, good or bad of my own heart and mind.
The point is…we are all slaves to someone and something.
If we chose to be Yahweh’s slaves we are bought and paid for. We belong to Him.
The agreement then, is that once we belong to Him we are on the clock, twenty-four/seven, three hundred and sixty-five days of the year, forever, to His glory. From that point on, His will is ours and the freedom we have is to choose… to obey or not to obey. This is the reference point by which everything else is done.
He has prepared work for us to do. We don’t have to make that decision. He does. He will provide the talents and skills and resources to get the job done. It will all be done according to His timing and as long or short a time we are to be involved, and it takes, that’s what it takes. When the work for each of us, He has prepared, is finished, we are finished. He’ll let us know. We are judged good and faithful servants not by the humbleness or greatness of the work but by our being found doing it, willingly, lovingly, obedient.
When the world is done with us, the world finds someone else and we cease to exist. But with Jehovah God, when we are done with the world we continue with Him, His children, safe and alive in fellowship with Him.
Father, work in us to be rid of our self-centeredness.
May it be our joy to accept Your Will and Ways as ours.
And may we be a reflection of You in the doing.
May it be our ambition and our contentment to be and be known as Your slaves.
May it be our glory to be Your children.
May You be pleased and glorified.
In Yeshua’s name we pray,
Amen.
May God’s love be in us all.
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