I saw something powerful and provoking in the Word this morning:
“Behold, as the servants look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maid looks to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the Lord our God, until He is gracious to us.” Psalm 123:2.
A servant and a maid are absolutely dependent on the master or the mistress’ benevolence. If the master is cruel or chooses not to provide, the servant goes without. If the servant is well cared for, it is to the credit of the master, not the servant.
Servants do not demand. They serve. Servants do not circumvent. They serve. Servants do what they do in service to the master. Everything. Everything. The servant exists for the master’s pleasure and to fulfill the master’s will.
The Apostle Paul was fond of identifying himself, not as an enterprising teacher or religious elite…but as a doulos, a bondservant. A bondservant was everything I described above by choice. He served because he desired to, not because he was compelled to do so by external forces.
Reflecting on the role of a bondservant and his relationship with the Master, Paul reminds us in Philippians 4:11-13 that he depends upon the Master for everything and that he is content to do so…not based on circumstance, but based on the Master’s PERSON and Paul’s purpose in serving for the Master’s PLEASURE.
So, do you look to the hand of the Master UNTIL He is gracious to you? Do you exist for His pleasure? Or, have you reversed the roles in your mind to think (even though you would never say such strong things) that the Master exists to serve your needs?
God is not having an identity crisis…are you?
Shalom, CA.
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