Wednesday, July 10, 2024
It Means Being A Slave
Psalm 123:2   Behold, as the eyes of servants
                        look to the hand of their master,
 
            Our country recently celebrated The 4th of July—Independence Day. Here in the United States of America, God has granted our country and her citizens great freedoms to live out in community as well as individual freedoms. We certainty should be thankful for all of these and celebrate Independence Day.
            However, independence doesn’t mean that we are independent from God. God is enthroned over all Creation, including each and every human being. With the blessing of individual freedoms here in America, it’s very easy for the American Christian to lose sight of what truly is our relationship with God through the Lord Jesus Christ,
            Psalm 123:2 grounds and affirms this relationship. The Christian is a servant. The Greek translation uses the word doulos which means ‘slave,’ ‘to being under someone’s total control.’[1] The Hebrew word is ʿeḇeḏ ‘slave or servant.’
            ‘While the most basic idea of ʿeḇeḏ is that of a slave, in Israel slavery was not so irksome, since this status involved rights and often positions of trust. A fellow Israelite could not be held indefinitely against his will, but his period of bondage was limited to six years (Ex 21:2).’ [2]
            This is the position of the Christian before God. This is not just a Sunday morning thing when we go to church. It’s not even a ‘whole 24-hours on a Sunday’ thing where the Christian is free from this slave status the remaining six days of the week. No. This status of the Christian as slave to God is a 24/7/365 (24 hours/7 days a week/365 days a year) position and status. The Christian looks to the hand of the Master for all good things. The first place each person needs to look and gaze upon are the hands of the Master nailed to the cross for all humanity including you and me.
It is to God that the Christian’s eyes are fixed. God is the loving God who truly wants what’s best for His people. The Christian trusts this promise, even during the times he laments hosility and contempt from others on account of the Christian faith.
We don’t find ourselves in these prayers. Rather the truth is that we find ourselves through these prayers. We are slaves to God and dependent upon Him. It brings to light who one must be and who one is in crying out to the LORD from the depths of existence.[3] In Christ’s hands—His crucified and resurrected hands—is your future.[4] And your future in Christ’s hands is what gives you strength for today.


[1] Bauer, W., F. W. Danker, W. F. Arndt, and F. W. Gingrich, eds. A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature. 3d, Accordance electronic edition, version
[2] Kaiser, Walter C. Harris, R. Laird, Gleason L. Archer, and Bruce K. Waltke, eds. Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament. Accordance electronic edition, version 2.5. Chicago: Moody Press, 1980.
 
[3] Mays, James L. Psalms. IBC. Accordance electronic edition, version 2.2. Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2011.
[4] Keil, C. F. and Delitzsch F. Commentary on the Old Testament. Accordance electronic edition, version 2.7. 10 vols. Peabody: Hendrickson Publishers, 1996.