Page 19 - Livin Light Issue 81

Monday June 19 - Slaves?!
Don’t you know ... you are slaves of the one you obey – whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? Romans 6:16
William Wilberforce, Mahatma Gandhi and Harriet Tubman, amongst many others, all worked hard to free slaves. We rightly admire them for it. There were probably many slaves, as well as freedmen, in the Roman church to whom Paul was writing. All of them would have understood what slavery involved. Being a slave was being at the bottom of the pile; no one had aspirations to be a slave! It is interesting that Paul uses the imagery of slavery to illustrate his point here. Surprisingly, he says that we are all slaves, one way or another! We can either be slaves to sin, or slaves to obedience. Either way, we are responsible for making the choice, and that choice has implications. We can learn something from the life of slavery that could inspire us to live well.
Paul is both speaking in a language that all his readers would identify with and also is affirming the slaves among them, putting them centre-stage. There are still parts of our society that can be overlooked, but God sees with different eyes and urges us to learn from all other people. I think of a young girl with severe mental disabilities in our church, who nevertheless worships God with an uninhibited passion. She has chosen to love God and is an inspiration to those who can see it.
Father God, thank you that you call me to be your child and your friend. Help me to be a slave to obedience too! Amen.
Tuesday June 20 - Heart change
But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you have come to obey from your heart... Romans 6:17
This verse shows us that we are not simply talking about an outward change in behaviour. Being a Christian is not just about going to the right church, listening to the right sermons, giving some money to the collection and then living the rest of the week to please ourselves and keep out of trouble as far as possible.
Becoming a Christian necessitates a change of heart. Something happens in the core of our being to transform our attitudes and desires, and that is exactly where the Holy Spirit takes up residence as we welcome him in. He works with us and in us, helping us to become obedient to God. What a mercy this is!
Of course this is completely different from the life of slavery to sin. That leads to all kinds of addictions that ruin lives and hold us in their grip, showing no mercy. But thanks be to God – Jesus can free us from these addictions and liberate us to be slaves to obedience! I think of a distressed man who came to us with a huge gambling debt. As he confessed the addictive behaviour that had ruined his life and marriage, Jesus freed him from the addiction’s power; he never went back into a betting shop and he eventually became the reliable treasurer of his church! His heart was well and truly changed.
Dear Holy Spirit, come into my heart and help me to live a life that pleases and glorifies God. Amen.
PRAYER FOR TODAY
PRAYER FOR TODAY
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