The Culture of Hope Founded on Faith
Paul, a Servant of God
In Romans 1:1, Paul identifies himself as a “servant of Jesus Christ”. Likewise, he identifies as a “servant of God” in Titus 1:1. James, Peter, and Jude followed suit with identification as “a servant of God” in James 1:1, 2 Peter 1:1, and Jude 1:1. The New Testament contains a great deal of information about being a servant of God. It must be stated that “servant” and “slave” appear to be synonymous in biblical terms.
In our society, most people do not fully understand the concept of slavery and certainly not of servanthood. In Bible times, those who were free-born, slaves generously freed by their masters, or slaves who had paid a fee for their freedom were unlikely to remain servants without pay. There were circumstances such as extreme poverty, however, under which people would sell themselves or family members into slavery.
Hebrew law allowed for a Hebrew to own a Hebrew servant for six years and then the servant would go free with severance pay in the seventh year. However, if a man married a woman already owned by the master, he would have to leave her and any children born to them during their bondage when he left in the seventh year. They belonged to the master. Exodus 21 and Deuteronomy 15 describe the procedure to remain a servant so that he could remain with his wife and family. His ear would be pierced with an awl in front of the magistrates to signify that he would serve the master for life.
In Luke 17:7-10 Jesus describes the analogy of the servant to the disciples in everyday terms of the times:
“But which of you, having a servant plowing or feeding cattle, will say unto him by and by, when he is come from the field, ‘Go and sit down to meat?’ Will he not rather say unto him, ‘Make ready wherewith I may eat, gird yourself, and serve me, till I have eaten and drunk. Afterward you shall eat and drink’?
Does he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I think not. So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, ‘We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do.’”
According to Roy Hession, like the servant described, the disciple of Christ bears the five marks of a bondservant (William MacDonald. Believer’s Bible Commentary: New Testament. A&O Press. Wichita, KS, 1989. 251):
- He must be willing to have one thing on top of another put upon him, without any consideration being given him.
- In doing this, he must be willing not to be thanked for it.
- Having done all this, he must not charge the master with selfishness.
- He must confess that he is an unprofitable servant.
- He must admit that doing and bearing what he has in the way of meekness and humility, he has not done one stitch more than it was his duty to do.
In addition, William MacDonald describes the disciple’s position in terms of “bondslaves of the Lord Jesus Christ. They belong to Him – spirit, soul, and body. In the light of Calvary, nothing they can ever do for the Savior is sufficient to recompense Him for what He has done. So after the disciple has done everything that he has been commanded to do in the [New Testament], he must still admit that he is an unprofitable servant who has only done what was his duty” (MacDonald, 251).
This seems impossible and uncomfortable until we engage in habitual prayer, the continual communication with God that is the result of consistent awareness of God’s presence in us (See my Devotional Blog for last week, April 27, 2018). It is to trust that all He calls us to do and endure is for His glory. Recognition of the fact that our service in God’s calling is never going to be enough is where the joy of the Lord intersects our lives because it is the recognition that it is actually God pouring out His grace and doing His will in us.
Update/Prayer Request: After a month’s hiatus in treatments, Dan had another infusion last week and has since experienced, once again, the debilitating side effects of immunotherapy. He is taking Prednisone and not feeling well at all. Good thing it is the weekend. Next Tuesday is Dan’s final day of work. It feels like he is limping into the finish line of retirement. But then he will be able to rest a lot more. The infusion that was supposed to take place Thursday, May 3, is cancelled and he will be having his next infusion on May 17. He has a PetCT scan scheduled for May 22, but his doctor has asked for an earlier appointment. We’ll see. In the meantime the above devotional is a topic I particularly needed to re-examine. Pray that we will continue to follow God’s direction for us with servant’s hearts, not with discouragement.
