I recently finished the
book, Not A Fan by Kyle Idleman.
It is a very interesting read, similar in focus to Radical by David Platt, which deeply
challenged me. In Not A Fan
there was considerable conversation about being a slave to Jesus. I suspect it
was my recent ‘dialogue’ with Idleman about being a slave that drew me to verse
1 and Paul’s self description as a servant (better slave) of
Jesus.
Paul, a
servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of
God
While the NIV and most
modern translations choose to translate the Greek “doulos” as ‘servant,’ the
more accurate rendering of the word should probably be ‘slave.’ The doulos was
not a hireling working for someone but rather a servant owned by the
lord!
Anyway, where I went in my
meditations was the idea of being Jesus’ slave, being owned and therefore at the
absolute beckon call of Jesus. That, after all, was the role of a slave… they do
as the lord commanded or requested. The slave was not his/her own. Slaves didn’t
call their own shots or determine their own course of action. Their life
trajectory was set by the master. They came when the master beckoned. They went
where the master directed. They ate what and when the master allowed and so
on.
Do I live like that (?)
totally directed by Jesus. Not very well if I am honest. And yet that is Paul’s
self-designated position in life… the doulos of Jesus
Christ.
And this it seems should be
my goal in life as well, to be Jesus’ doulos…
I have a long way to
go.
Pondering all this I was
also attracted to verse 9, God, whom I serve
with my whole heart …. The word ‘serve’ hit me. When I looked into
this word it is not connected to doulos, instead it refers to someone who works
for another… a hireling, employee, worker, hired servant. Again, the idea of
working for another and the other being God, hit me.
Various questions rolled in
my thoughts; they all probed my allegiance: Do I work for God or myself?
Sadly, my honest answers
showed considerable lack on my part…
Oh, God, help
me with my commitment to You. I fall short of being Your faithful ‘doulos’ and
serving You with my whole heart. Forgive me for my lapse and more so… aid me to
grow in commitment and total abandon to You, Your Will, Word and Way. Through
Jesus, my Lord, I pray. Amen.
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