When the nation of Israel was provided a second giving of the Law in preparation for entering into the promised land, instruction was given to remind them of where they had been and God’s deliverance from it. We read. . .
“(5) And you shall make response before the Lord your God, ‘A wandering Aramean was my father. And he went down into Egypt and sojourned there, few in number, and there he became a nation, great, mighty, and populous. (6) And the Egyptians treated us harshly and humiliated us and laid on us hard labor. (7) Then we cried to the Lord, the God of our fathers, and the Lord heard our voice and saw our affliction, our toil, and our oppression. (8) And the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, with great deeds of terror, with signs and wonders. (9) And he brought us into this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey.” (Deuteronomy 26:5-9 ESV)
Why didn’t God reveal His power against Egypt and show the distinction between Israel and Egypt as soon as they began to be treated harshly like He did with the plagues? (i.e. Exodus 9:4 & 26) Had things been good, would the people have left Egypt? Had they become too comfortable with where they were? How often did they keep looking back after they did leave? What the nation needed to acknowledge was how bad it was to be enslaved in Egypt and how much better it was to trustingly move forward with God!
It is the same with sin. It is far too easy for people to become too comfortable where they are. Sin is generally not left behind unless it begins to be acknowledged as the slavery it is!
Writing to Christians at Rome, Paul reminded. . .
“(16)Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? (17) But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, (18) and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness.” (Romans 6:16-18 ESV)
So, who (or what) is our master? The aspirations of self? The desires of the flesh? The ways of the world? Or the guidance of God? According to Paul, the distinction in master determines the distinction in destiny. Sin enslaves and separates us from God! Under the Mastery of Jesus, we are brought into a position of freedom from condemnation as we have been set free from the law of sin and death. (Romans 8:1-2) May we therefore recognize the awfulness of slavery to sin and acknowledge the blessing in turning the heart toward following God and His Will!
Have a great day SURRENDERED TO THE MASTER OF RIGHTEOUSNESS!
Carl
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(“teEn-MAIL” is sent out daily by Carl Hanson, preacher for the Church of Christ in Port Townsend, Washington, USA, located at 230 A Street, Port Townsend, WA 98368. Come visit us if in the area.)
