(I gave this devo for MTS)
Exodus 21:2-6
2 “If you buy a Hebrew servant, he is to
serve you for six years. But in the seventh year, he shall go free, without
paying anything. 3 If he comes alone,
he is to go free alone; but if he has a wife when he comes, she is to go with
him. 4 If his master gives him a wife
and she bears him sons or daughters, the woman and her children shall belong to
her master, and only the man shall go free.5 “But if the servant declares, ‘I love my master and my wife and children and do not want to go free,’ 6 then his master must take him before the judges. He shall take him to the door or the doorpost and pierce his ear with an awl. Then he will be his servant for life.
Parallel I saw
When we accept God into our lives we are making a commitment to serve him. Not only is it a commitment to serve him, but to do so in love.
Just like the Hebrew servant’s that chose to stay with their masters because they loved them and committed to serving them for life so are we.
During that time when the Hebrew servant’s made that commitment to stay with their master because they loved him, it says in vs. 6 that they would take him/her to a door or a doorpost and pierce there ear with an awl.
So everyone would see that their ear was pierced, and they would know that the servant chose to stay and serve their master because they loved them.
The piercing symbolizes love for the master, a servant for life.
Now to bring that to us. When we made that commitment to serve God our master we did it because we love him. And unlike the servants during that time we do not have a piercing to show that we made a commitment to serve our masters forever.
So people won’t see your ear, and know that you were a servant who loved your master and chose to serve him for life.
Yet it should be our actions that show that when we do serve we are doing it because we love our master. That wherever it is you serve be it in Church, at home, at MTS people would see the love you have for God in your life by your actions.
Our life, how we serve, symbolizes our love for our master and how we are servants for life.
And our master is a great God, and God who put himself lower than the angels it says in Hebrew 2:4. One who went even so far as to serve man, he washed his disciple’s feet John 13:1-7. It shows how God humbled himself so low.
He told us that the greatest among us is the servant in Matthew 23:11
When Jesus came he left a trail behind him. He said if I get persecuted you will get persecuted. If I love you love. If I serve you serve.
And when you serve I know sometimes you might get tired or feel weak. But when you do feel this way remember this verse.
The Joy of the lord is my strength Nehemiah 8:10
With this verse when I read it the word Joy pops out at me.
Joy and happiness are often times mingled as the same.
But happiness is temporary it is dependent on circumstances.
While Joy is true contentment that comes from our faith in God. Circumstances do not change the Joy that is there.
We should have the Joy of the lord when we serve. The Joy that is there no matter what the struggle, or how tired, and weak we are. That the joy of the lord would give you your strength.
And when we do serve we cannot expect anything in return. Sometimes you’ll put all your effort into something and people won’t even acknowledge you.
Matthew 25:35-40
But know that your storing up treasures in heaven. God sees God remembers.
35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’
37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ And when we serve God with love, and when we do it willingly it changes the experience. Just like the servant I talked about in Exodus his experience must have been different when he was serving against his will, but when he was doing out of love, it changes the experiences. Remember that we are serving God, and when you serve to give it all.
These are the main points that I want to hit.
>When you serve, serve with love. Serving with love shows our love for God. Our master.
>Serve with all you have, when you feel tired, and weak remember the joy of the Lord is your strength.
>Serve expecting nothing in return, but know that you are storing up treasures in heaven.
This is the vs I want to close with.
Psalm 100:2
Serve the Lord with gladness, come into his presences with singing.
I enjoyed reading your blog. Sometimes its hard to be a servant for others especially when you feel like you're not being appreciated or treated in some manner that you feel you should be treated. I know I have to do it onto the lord and he'll give me peace in my heart to serve those who I don't want to serve and those who I feel don't deserve to be served. I learned though that we have to do things selflessly and do it onto to God. I enjoyed the devotional because it convicted me in a sense that I have to stop expecting things in return for a service that I provided
ReplyDeleteelijah.