Two "helpers" given us by God
In our society today it is probably politically incorrect to talk about having servants. We have spent so much effort to emphasize that everyone is equal and the same and free that even the term "servant" is probably not comfortable to some.
However the Bible talks about servants and slaves throughout. But many would say, "that was their historical culture and does not apply today." But after study I guess I have to disagree.
Even God has servants. In Psalm 103 the writer says
20 Bless the LORD, you His angels, Mighty in strength, who perform His word, Obeying the voice of His word! 21 Bless the LORD, all you His hosts, You who serve Him, doing His will.
So a servant was someone who served another. If you still have a problem with this consider that even the US government has stated that the "service economy" is one of the fastest growing parts of our way of life. So whether you have a "lawn service" or a "cleaning service" or a "tax preparation service" we all make use of "servants".
By grace God has provided all things that pertain to life and godliness. So everything we need is available via God's grace. Faith is the gift God gave us to access the preparations He made through grace.
6 And the Lord said, ""If you had faith like a mustard seed, you would say to this mulberry tree, "Be uprooted and be planted in the sea'; and it would obey you. 7 ""Which of you, having a slave plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field, "Come immediately and sit down to eat'? 8 ""But will he not say to him, " Prepare something for me to eat, and properly clothe yourself and serve me while I eat and drink; and afterward you may eat and drink'? 9 ""He does not thank the slave because he did the things which were commanded, does he?
So our faith is a servant that we command. But too many of us have allowed the servant to lay around and sleep in late. If faith is a gift then that gifting falls under the parable of the talents where God judged each for how they used the gifts he gave them.
Have you used your faith and put it to work for you or have you let it lie around and get fat and sloppy?
Our second servant is a bit different but some of the concepts are the same. Paul felt strongly about self-indulgence. He stated,
Run in such a way that you may win. 25 Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. 26 Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air; 27 but I discipline my body and make it my slave
Our body is as much a gift from God as is our faith. And just like our faith many of us have allowed our bodies to take too much control. From fear and anxiety to selfishness, laziness and self-indulgence we have allowed our body to make "us", the real us, our spirits, be the slave.
Notice in each case that "YOU", the real you, has the responsibility to utilize these servants. A lazy, slothful servant is always considered wicked in the Bible. But neither your faith nor your body is going to respond if you do not take the leadership that is required. It demands that you discipline your faith and not give sway to your body when it wants to do "its own thing".
So God's grace has made provision for every need. By this grace he as also given us gifts - supernatural faith and a physical body as servants. We need to change our thinking concerning these two. We need to stop allowing our bodies to rule us and start telling our bodies and minds what they will do for us. We need to start using our faith to draw on the provision of God's grace.
We need to tell our faith to lay hold of the grace God has provided in order to meet our needs instead of asking and then wondering why God doesn't answer. He already has and gave us faith as the tool to lay hold of His provision.
About the Author
Hal Warfield is a speaker, teacher and coach. Write him at warfield@midsouth.rr.com or via his website at www.halwarfield.com