August 19, 2019
It should never shock us to hear the wisest of words spoken at a Bible study. So many times, even in teaching a study, I have heard the Holy Spirit speak the greatest words of wisdom. Not through me, but coming from the lips of those in the class. Hearing the Spirit speak through them in the most amazing of ways, as their words taught far more than I could ever bring to the class that day.
In a Bible study the other day, the Holy Spirit gave me another one of these moments. As from a man who had only attended the class a handful of times, I heard the most insightful of words I have heard spoken in the longest of time. As we discussed what Christ had brought to mankind, he first spoke familiar words we have all so often heard. Reminding us that Christ paid for our sins in full. He then went on to ask the question, “Is Christ getting from each of us all He paid for?”
Each day since, I have not been able to get that question out of my mind. As so many times since, the Holy Spirit has repeated that question to me. Bringing me to ask out loud the question, “Is the Lord getting from me all He has paid for?”
The Lord hung on that Cross so He could give me all. But does each day now find me giving Him my all? Does it even find me each day looking to give Him my best? Did today find me doing the things He is calling me to do? Making the most of each opportunity He gave me to bring glory to His name? Or has today found me doing just enough to put on a face, so others will see me giving Him something back?
On the day I accepted Him as my Savior, I willfully and happily became His servant. My title in this world is simple, because just like Paul, I am proudly and humbly a servant of Christ(Roman 1:1, 1 Timothy 4:6). And my call each day is just as simple. I am to do exactly as my Master tells me. I am His bondservant, as I freely, purposefully, and willingly sit aside all my rights in order to serve Him. He paid for me the highest possible price(1 Corinthians 6:20), and each day as I serve Him, my respect and love grows for Him. I do not just serve Him each day because He created me to(Ephesians 2:10, Titus 2:14), I do so because there is nothing I want to do more. And each day shows me, I am at my happiest when I about His work, not just looking to do things to selfishly please myself.
Each day as I serve my Master, I realize just how much I love to obey my Master. How much peace is found in my life as I look to help accomplish His will, not found devoting all my attention to my own will. Not seeking to bring about my own glory, but happy in realizing that He is the only one worthy of glory. And the greatest way I can place at His feet that glory, is found in me living my life knowing, I no longer live, because it is He who lives in me(Galatians 2:20). My life is His. to direct as He knows is best. To do with as He needs best. As this bondservant’s true happiness is found, in me freely laying my life at His feet, to do with as He sees best. In knowing that my best can only come in me doing what He knows is best.
My call as His servant, is to not to go about the work He is calling me to selfishly, but to go about my work humbly. Work each day that not only finds me sharing my faith, but finds me respectfully at work defending my faith(1 Peter 3:15). Work that not only finds me obedient to Christ, but finds me as a living example to others for Christ(2 Corinthians 10:15, 1 Peter 1:14-16). At work lovingly looking to help my brothers and sisters in Christ, as I go about my work each day faithfully awaiting my Master's return(1 John 3, 2 Timothy 4:8).
The work my Master has called me to, is not just heard in the words I might speak, but found in me as He brings life and action to those words. In Him not just hearing me, but seeing me, “go”, “make”, “teach”, “baptize”, each day(Matthew 28:19-20). Seeing me not only sharing with others the Word of God, but revealing to them the very heart of God. In helping all to see, I serve a Master whose greatest desire is for, “all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.”(1 Timothy 2:4). A truth, that drives me each day to not only lead as many as I can to His Kingdom, but to help bring them to “citizenship” in that Kingdom.
I will never be able to repay the debt He paid for me. A debt that I cannot imagine how it did not sear His hand as He reached into the deepest pits of Hell to pull out someone as unworthy as me. But each day that finds me with a servant’s heart, finds me doing what I can to repay that priceless debt. And to truly thank Him, with all I have, for paying that debt for me. A debt that on certain days may only find me repaying it with nickels. And on other days, only finds me repaying it pennies. But as those nickels and pennies mount, I pray the Master will on a future day say to me, “My faithful servant, I am so proud of you! You have given Me all I paid for!”
Praying each of you are found “repaying” a little of that debt each day!
