Jan 26, 2022
If you live in America, you probably consider yourself free.
In many ways, you are correct. When compared with other
political regimes around the world, the protected rights you have
in this country are unlike any other country on the
planet.
However, technically you're not free. You see, everyone has a
master. So you may be free to do whatever you want today, yet
at some point your master is going to come calling, whether it's
your boss at work, the pile of bills on your table, or the IRS from
that "free" country you live in. Everyone has a
master.
Maybe your master is the TV show you binge, or the food you crave,
or the caffeine/sugar you must consume. You will do
whatever it takes to have it, whether it means rearranging your
schedule or spending money you don't have.
There are some masters you serve that are destructive. They
may not feel that way initially, however once hooked they have a
way of enslaving you; alcohol, a wide variety of drugs,
pornography, even abusive relationships. Here's the
point: We all have masters. We need to
choose our masters well.
Psalm 123 is a Psalm that reflects back on all of the masters
Israel has had in their past; Pharaoh, Assyria, and Babylon just to
name a few. These masters oppressed God's people, were
arrogant and contemptuous towards them. Yet, despite their
struggle, they chose to "lift up their eyes" to the
Lord. In other words, they chose to seek and serve Him,
why? They chose to serve God because he was merciful
towards them.
How are we to break free from our "masters"? We must
choose everyday to serve God and live in the mercy He
provides. Do you want to learn more? Give a listen
to part four on our journey of Long Obedience in the Same
Direction.