A slave to all
**Click**
That's the sound of something finally making sense to me. Usually the **click** is something that should have been comprehended by me already but for some reason it alluded me. Well, I heard a sermon on Sunday that finally put 1 Corinthians 9:19 into my head and heart so much so that I think I understand it for the first time. Of course, understanding the Scriptures and doing the Scriptures are two totally different things, but that is for another time.
For me I see this servanthood or slavery as part of the deliberate, focused love that I need to have to help people begin or deepen their relationship with God. I need to, within Biblical parameters, make sure that I make less and less of me and more and more of others. Of course, this may mean that I relinquish some of my preferences or even some of my rights as a free man in Christ so that I can move closer to someone and help them realize who they are in Christ. That relinquishment is the loving thing to do. Of course if I continue to hang onto my preferences and demand my rights then I am actually hating those I should be serving.
The book of Philippians has become dear to me in these past view weeks especially the second chapter where it talks about Christ's attitude and what he let go of out of obedience to His Father and the great love that He and His Father had and continue to have for me. I need to become subservient as well to the needs of others to the point that it becomes mega uncomfortable. I want to do this to the point of someone saying "Wow, you did that for me?" parroting what I say to God when I catch a glimmer of His sacrifice for me.
Why did he die for me? I'll never know the answer fully but he beckons me to do the same. He can have my life. My neighbor can have it too.
That's the sound of something finally making sense to me. Usually the **click** is something that should have been comprehended by me already but for some reason it alluded me. Well, I heard a sermon on Sunday that finally put 1 Corinthians 9:19 into my head and heart so much so that I think I understand it for the first time. Of course, understanding the Scriptures and doing the Scriptures are two totally different things, but that is for another time.
For me I see this servanthood or slavery as part of the deliberate, focused love that I need to have to help people begin or deepen their relationship with God. I need to, within Biblical parameters, make sure that I make less and less of me and more and more of others. Of course, this may mean that I relinquish some of my preferences or even some of my rights as a free man in Christ so that I can move closer to someone and help them realize who they are in Christ. That relinquishment is the loving thing to do. Of course if I continue to hang onto my preferences and demand my rights then I am actually hating those I should be serving.
The book of Philippians has become dear to me in these past view weeks especially the second chapter where it talks about Christ's attitude and what he let go of out of obedience to His Father and the great love that He and His Father had and continue to have for me. I need to become subservient as well to the needs of others to the point that it becomes mega uncomfortable. I want to do this to the point of someone saying "Wow, you did that for me?" parroting what I say to God when I catch a glimmer of His sacrifice for me.
Why did he die for me? I'll never know the answer fully but he beckons me to do the same. He can have my life. My neighbor can have it too.
Comments
Post a Comment