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- Apr 25, 2006
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You're Called To Be A Servant
'Paul, a bond-servant of Christ Jesus...' Romans 1:1
'Servant' is definitely a word that belongs in a history lesson! Here in the jolly old UK, there's not many people around today who would admit to having servants. Those with a bit of money might have a 'nanny' for the kids or a 'housekeeper' for the house, but even the upper crust would probably refrain from calling them 'servants' nowadays.
In Israel in Old Testament times, things were very different. There was a dignity to being a servant, especially if you were what's called a 'bond-servant'. To explain: in those times, servants were hired on the basis that they worked for their masters faithfully for six years. In the seventh year, the law said that you had to be set free.
But in many cases, the servant didn't want to go free. They had a good life; their wife and kids were happy; they loved their master. In that case, when it came time for the servant to be released the master would take you before a judge and pierce your ear, signifying that you belonged to him forever.
It was a sign you were committed to listening to him and obeying him for life. You were saying, 'Master, I'm not serving you because I have to but because I want to' (Exodus 21:6).
Is this your prayer today? Lord, I'm not serving You because I have to but because I want to. Pierce my ear, mark me as Yours, bond me together with You so that I can never belong to another. It's a very powerful thing to say - can you say it and mean it?
written by Bob Gass
'Paul, a bond-servant of Christ Jesus...' Romans 1:1
'Servant' is definitely a word that belongs in a history lesson! Here in the jolly old UK, there's not many people around today who would admit to having servants. Those with a bit of money might have a 'nanny' for the kids or a 'housekeeper' for the house, but even the upper crust would probably refrain from calling them 'servants' nowadays.
In Israel in Old Testament times, things were very different. There was a dignity to being a servant, especially if you were what's called a 'bond-servant'. To explain: in those times, servants were hired on the basis that they worked for their masters faithfully for six years. In the seventh year, the law said that you had to be set free.
But in many cases, the servant didn't want to go free. They had a good life; their wife and kids were happy; they loved their master. In that case, when it came time for the servant to be released the master would take you before a judge and pierce your ear, signifying that you belonged to him forever.
It was a sign you were committed to listening to him and obeying him for life. You were saying, 'Master, I'm not serving you because I have to but because I want to' (Exodus 21:6).
Is this your prayer today? Lord, I'm not serving You because I have to but because I want to. Pierce my ear, mark me as Yours, bond me together with You so that I can never belong to another. It's a very powerful thing to say - can you say it and mean it?
written by Bob Gass
