Daily Devotional: Friday, July 2

Speaker: Paul Diaz

Theme: True Greatness

Weekend Music links on iTunes: All Because of Jesus I'm Alive" target="_blank"> All Because of Jesus I'm Alive by Fee; Let God Arise by Chris Tomlin; Glory to God Forever by Fee; Came to my Rescue by Hillsong United.

Read: Deuteronomy 15:12-18; Galatians 4:1-7; Psalm 40:6-8 

Think: When reading in the Old Testament, I was always a little confused when I saw mention of slaves in the Israelite culture. Why would God allow slavery after the Israelite's experience in Egypt? But in the book of Deuteronomy, the Lord makes incredible provision for slaves. After seven years of service, a slave’s master was to give him the option of leaving. If he decided to leave, the master was to furnish him “liberally” from his own belongings so that the former slave would be provided for as a free man.

But I was further struck by these verses: “It shall come about if he says to you, ‘I will not go out from you,’ because he loves you and your household, since he fares well with you; then you shall take an awl and pierce it through his ear into the door, and he shall be your servant forever” (Deuteronomy 15:16-17).

We are much like the slaves, given the choice to serve God freely. God is pictured here as the humble master who will not demand our service, but invite us into His household. But I also love the picture I see here of the perfect work that humility produces. Our faithful service to God doesn’t merely result in the provision of our needs, but something much greater. “But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son…so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons… therefore you are no longer a slave, but a son; and if a son, then an heir through God.” (Galatians 4:4-7).

Do: Consider how a parent teaches a child to serve, not just giving them tasks to do perform, but to learn under  the direct guidance of the parent. At once, an opportunity to learn becomes an opportunity to build relationship. Think of a time that you chose to serve someone in need and in what ways you grew closer to the Lord because of it. 

Pray: Thank you, Lord for your generous mercies and kindness as my father and kind master. I choose to submit my whole heart to you, to be used by you for your great and wonderful purposes.

The eDevotional is written each week by a team of volunteers from Timberlake Church.

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