‘Paul, a bond-servant of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle.’ Romans  1:1 NASB

In the Bible the word minister isn’t just a noun (which denotes a person, place, or thing); it’s also a verb (an action word). It’s what you do, not what you claim to be. In Scripture, the word servant sometimes referred to a 3rd-level galley slave chained to the oar of a Roman ship. Day and night, they rowed to the beat of another, and whether in battle or in merchant service, they expected to die chained to that oar. What a picture!

Paul says, ‘Dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all He has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice – the kind he will find acceptable’ (Romans 12:1 NLT). Paul had no doubt about what God had called him to be. When he referred to himself as a bond-servant, he was describing a slave who served his master faithfully for six years. In the 7th year, the law of Moses required that the slave be set free. But if, when he was released, he came back and said, ‘Master, I’m not serving you because I have to; I’m serving you because I want to,’ his master would take him before a magistrate and pierce his ear, signifying that he belonged to him forever (see Exodus 21:6). Sometimes you need to look up and say: ‘Lord, I’m not serving you because I have to; I’m serving you because I love you. Pierce my ear. Mark me as yours. Bond me with you so I can never belong to another.’

When you think of everything Jesus has done for you, is that really too much to ask?

SoulFood: Acts 20-21, Mark 5:1-10, Ps 144:1-8, Pro 11:10-11

Renungan Hari Ini [The Word for Today] is authored by Bob and Debby Gass and published under licence from UCB International Copyright ©

‘Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labour in vain.’ Psalm 12 7:1 NIV

How would you describe your relationship with your children? Strained? Exciting? Heart-breaking? Enjoyable? If you want a real eye-opener, ask them to describe their feelings about you and their home. But be warned, what they say might not be to your liking! And having a Christian home doesn’t necessarily exempt you. The old nature in us still rears its ugly head from time to time, and habits set in concrete can lead to broken communication.

When Biblical principles are ignored, the result is pain and strain in the family. Three illustrations come to mind:

1) Rebekah loved her son Jacob more than his brother Esau, so she used him to deceive their father, Isaac, and cause division in the family (see Genesis 27).

2) Eli, the high priest, let his boys run wild, and in the end, it cost him his life (see 1 Samuel 3-4).

3) David preached one thing but practised another, and his children (as kids will do) were more influenced by what he did than by what he said. (see 2 Samuel 11, 13, 15-16; 1 Kings 11). Nobody is immune; not David, not Rebekah, not Eli, not you! But evaluation is pointless if it leads to guilt without action.

So what should you do? Take time to get close to your children. Deal with the barriers between you. You can’t change anything unless you’re willing to acknowledge it, and sometimes change must begin with you. For example, does your attitude need adjusting? How about your priorities? What about the example you have been setting lately? Before you try to deal with your children, ask God to deal with you.

SoulFood: Acts 18-19, Mark 4:35-41, Ps 7:10-17, Pro 11:7-9

Renungan Hari Ini [The Word for Today] is authored by Bob and Debby Gass and published under licence from UCB International Copyright ©