Deal with your servant according to your love and teach me your decrees. Psalm 119:124
May your unfailing love be my comfort, according to your promise to your servant. Psalm 119:76
Praise the LORD. Praise the LORD, you his servants; praise the name of the LORD. Psalm 113:1
Bring joy to your servant, Lord, for I put my trust in you. Psalm 86:4
Let your face shine on your servant; save me in your unfailing love. Psalm 31:16
Precious ones, servants of the Most High God! October 19, 2012
The word servant has haunted me all week, questioning me, nagging at me! After weeks of study in the book of Philippians, I was unexpectedly at the mercy of rushing thoughts invading my days and nights, as they rudely jockeyed for position, uninvited! After this week the term ‘servant’ has a deeper meaning. When you hear the word Servant, what comes to mind? Bond-servant? Slave? Paul called himself a ‘servant’ of Christ Jesus.
Imagine asking a young boy, ‘what do you want to be when you grow-up? His excitement spills over as he fires his list at you: Fireman! Astronaut! NBA player! But have you ever heard anyone state unequivocally, ‘I want very much to be a servant.’ Who wants to grow up to be a servant? We like being served. We sit back and wait for someone to serve us and wash our smelly feet. If the service we receive is not what we consider acceptable, we complain self-righteously. Jesus own disciples argued about which of them was the greatest! Hear the words of our holy Servant-King Jesus, all you who know Him:
“and whoever wishes to be first among you (desires to be served) shall be your slave; just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” Matthew 20:28 We are called to be a servant for Jesus. Marked by His love, for His glory. We are not home yet.
We profess to be strangers and pilgrims, seeking after a country of our own, yet we settle down in the most un-stranger-like fashion, exactly as if we were quite at home and meant to stay as long as we could. I don't wonder apostolic miracles have died. Apostolic living certainly has.” ac
Thoughts on being a servant:
I am a servant of Jesus Christ, therefore I am a servant of Love.
I am a servant of Jesus Christ, therefore I am a servant of Truth.
I am a servant of Jesus Christ, therefore I am not my own and have no rights.
I am a servant of Jesus Christ, therefore it is for me to obey my Master.
I am a servant of Jesus Christ, therefore it is His will, not my will that matters.
I am a servant of Jesus Christ, therefore life is not about me, but Him always.
I am a servant of Jesus Christ, therefore I walk by faith & do not live by feelings.
I am a servant of Jesus Christ, therefore I live to please Him.
I am a servant of Jesus Christ, therefore I am crucified and risen with Christ.
I am a servant of Jesus Christ, therefore His love flows through me to others.
I am a servant of Jesus Christ, therefore I am cleansed in His blood, from all sin.
I am a servant of Jesus Christ, therefore I daily take up my cross.
I am a servant of Jesus Christ, therefore the world hates me, for it hated Him.
I am a servant of Jesus Christ, therefore I will have trouble in this world.
I am a servant of Jesus Christ, therefore I reckon myself dead to sin each day.
I am a servant of Jesus Christ, therefore I feed on the Word of God each day.
I am a servant of Jesus Christ, therefore I am called to absolute obedience.
I am a servant of Jesus Christ, therefore I refuse self-pity and unbelief.
I am a servant of Jesus Christ, therefore I stand strong in the Lord’s power.
I am a servant of Jesus Christ, therefore I believe His ways are perfect.
I am a servant of Jesus Christ, therefore I trust He makes my way perfect.
I am a servant of Jesus Christ, therefore for me to live is Christ and die is gain!
I am a servant of Jesus Christ, therefore I do not insist He explain Himself to me.
“And shall I pray Thee change Thy will, my Father,
Until it be according unto mine?
But, no, Lord, no, that never shall be, rather
I pray Thee blend my human will with Thine.
I pray Thee hush the hurrying, eager longing,
I pray Thee soothe the pangs of keen desire—
See in my quiet places, wishes thronging—
Forbid them, Lord, purge, though it be with fire.” ac
May those who delight in my vindication shout for joy and gladness; may they always say, “The LORD be exalted, who delights in the well-being of his servant.” Psalm 35:27
Father-God, Servant King, You who care about our well-being, make us like Your Son who came to serve even to the extreme of laying down His life for us. Search us and reveal all that is in us which is not that of being a servant. Living Grace, You left the glory of heaven to come to earth and serve us by becoming a sin offering. Teach us the humility that will enable us to serve You acceptably. Thank you is just not enough. Give us an opportunity this very day to serve You by serving others, smelly feet and all. I pray in the Name above all names, Jesus
Learning to be Christ’s Servant,
az
