Wait…So who’s slave are you, anyway?

This is a great question and you need to know the answer. Why? Because this will completely change the way you do life and it could build your faith in a whole different way!

The Bible sais in Matt.6:24 “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon (riches).” So who are you serving? If you start looking at your own life through a magnifying glass you might find a different answer than you think. This is something God has been talking to me a lot recently.

Mmmm… maybe a better way to do this, is to ask God to show you where you are serving different masters. Brace yourself!!

The Bible speaks of “bond slaves/bond servants”. Romans, Philippians, James, 2 Peter and Jude all start with: “I, (Paul/Timothy/James/Peter/Jude), a bond servant of Jesus Christ….”

Question is, am I also a bond servant of Christ? Should I be? Well the Bible sais in 1 Cor. 7:21-24 “Were you called while a slave? Do not be concerned about it; but if you can be made free, rather use it. For he who is called in the Lord while a slave is the Lord’s freedman. Likewise he who is called while free is Christ’s slave. You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men. Brethren, let each one remain with God in that state in which he was called.”

When the angel told Mary that she will conceive a son and call Him Jesus, her answer was: “Behold the maidservant (female slave) of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word.” (Luke 1:38) Okey, so you never noticed her calling herself a slave of God before, have you?? DO YOU KNOW WHAT THIS MEANS? Mary knew exactly! Don’t stop reading now, its about to get interesting….

In Biblical times a Bond servant/slave in Greek was “doulos” which meant “one who is subserviently and entirely at the disposal of his master; a slave.” In Hebrew the word was “ebed” which meant similar to the Greek explanation but in this case a servant was allowed to become a bond servant/slave voluntarily.

What did this mean to Mary, Paul, Timothy, James etc.? A BOND SERVANT /SLAVE DOES NOT HAVE ANY MONEY OR TIME OF HIS OWN, AND HE THEREFORE CANNOT FREELY SPEND WHAT HE HAS BEEN ENTRUSTED WITH, SINCE IT IS NOT HIS. EVEN HIS FAMILY BELONGS TO HIS MASTER.

Wow!!! To completely surrender your EVERYTHING into God’s hands and to trust Him, your one true Master, with all your decisions, comings and goings. Now you might consider yourself a control freak and find it difficult to let go and let God. But look at it this way, if you are a control freak and want to “take control” the safest place to be will be in God’s will. At the end of the day, control freak, your plans will fail. You will make mistakes (as you have already done countless times) so if you need to take control…well then give it all to God. Suddenly the pressure to make “right decisions” is no longer yours
. You literally place your finances, decisions, life and your families’ lives in the hands that holds the universe. You place your burdens on His shoulders and they are broad enough!

So , child of God/ bond servant of the Most High, where do you still decide what to do with your money and time? Have you truly surrendered all??

Hudson Taylor, a well known missionary in China said: “The real reason for a unsatisfied life lies too often in an unsurrendered will.” Let that sink in! It is so true. Why do we seem to think that we can manage our time and money better than God? And then Sunday in church , without properly thinking, we boldly sing the song “I surrender all”!

Mary knew what she was saying, this could cost her her life! “What would the people think?” did not feature in her answer to the angel. Even worse, unwed mothers in Biblical times were often stoned to death. She was willing to put her life in God’s hands and what did He do? She conceived and brought forth the Son of God Who came to save us all. So, is it worth it to be COMPLETELY surrendered? ABSOLUTELY!!! God is a Good Father! He has Good plans for your life. These plans can only come to true fulfilment when you are surrendered to Him and His will.

Pray about this, when you are ready – truly surrender all, and may you also wholeheartedly answer God just like Mary did: “Behold, the bond servant of the Lord; be it done to me according to your Word.”