Image via WikipediaThe Lord.Jesus, knowing who he was - the Lord, creator and controller of all creation is and will be served. Similarly, knowing who we are in God - "Perfectly free, Lord of all, subject to none" - we are freed to serve. However, sometimes our service can be the result of guilt, fear, and a half-hearted sense of obligation. This is servitude, not servanthood. It is more harmful than helpful, both to ourselves and our God. Servitude provides freedom.
Our "sacrifices" for God can easily become manifestations of our sin, not our love for him. We use them as a bargaining weapon: "If I do this for you, God, will you do this for me?" We try to use these sacrifices to control his behavior and bring him down to our level. But this will never lead us to deeper intimacy with God. If we are to know him, we must know him as he is: our perfect, all knowing God who sacrificed himself for us when we were helpless. He gave up, not just his glory possible as a man but suffered and died.
(Knowing the Face of God-Tim Stafford)."If we succeed, they will become like us - people who make such sacrifices reflexively. To put off pleasure, we do intricate mental surgery. We cut ourselves up into separate personalities, one receiving carefully calculated benefits at the other's expense. We eat dessert at the end of the meal saving the best for last. The 'me' at the end of the meal can enjoy it. Similarly we study to pass an exam tomorrow. We work out to get in shape, expecting to enjoy a trimmer waistline at some future date."
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