God’s puppets?

While watching an old episode of “West Wing,” I noted the use of a phrase by a White House staffer – “I serve at the pleasure of the President.” Interesting turn of words, isn’t it?  It does not mean that those appointed by the President are there to fill his day with laughs and fun! They work to carry out his agenda, not their own. They serve his will and implement his policies.  Very bright, well educated people, agree to ‘serve at the pleasure of the President’ when they accept a position and, to the extent that they understand that, the executive branch of government functions well.

“I serve at the Lord’s pleasure.”  Yes, Christian, we all do. No, we are not God’s puppets. He does not rob us of our thoughts or reason, but He asks us to surrender our will to His, to conform our mind to the wisdom of Heaven.  Jesus was impressed by the faith of a Roman centurion who recognized the authority of Heaven.  The officer said  "I have officers who give orders to me, and I have soldiers who take orders from me. I can say to one of them, ‘Go!’ and he goes. I can say to another, ‘Come!’ and he comes. I can say to my servant, ‘Do this!’ and he will do it.” When Jesus heard this, he was so surprised that he turned and said to the crowd following him, “In all of Israel I’ve never found anyone with this much faith!” (Luke 7:8-9, CEV)

Let’s pray for faith that is so strong, for trust that goes so deep, that we will offer ourselves freely and joyfully to the service of the Lord.  Serving at His pleasure, since He is loving, perfect, and wise, is nothing to fear. We will have moments when His will crosses ours.  Self will scream in protest. In those moments we can say, “I serve at the Lord’s pleasure!”  We can see that through a lens that makes it seem constricting and hard. If we do, our surrender will be reluctant.  Better that we pray to embrace His will with no reservations, eagerly anticipating what He can do in us and through us.

Ponder this word today. I use The Message to cause you to reflect on a familiar passage.  The truth here is both deeply challenging and tremendously freeing.  Read on . . .

"Don’t be obsessed with getting your own advantage. Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand.

Think of yourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of himself. He had equal status with God but didn’t think so much of himself that he had to cling to the advantages of that status no matter what. Not at all. When the time came, he set aside the privileges of deity and took on the status of a slave, became human! Having become human, he stayed human. It was an incredibly humbling process. He didn’t claim special privileges. Instead, he lived a selfless, obedient life and then died a selfless, obedient death—and the worst kind of death at that—a crucifixion.

Because of that obedience, God lifted him high and honored him far beyond anyone or anything, ever, so that all created beings in heaven and on earth—even those long ago dead and buried—will bow in worship before this Jesus Christ, and call out in praise that he is the Master of all, to the glorious honor of God the Father.

What I’m getting at, friends, is that you should simply keep on doing what you’ve done from the beginning.  … Be energetic in your life of salvation, reverent and sensitive before God." (Philippians 2:4-12, The Message)

“I serve at the Lord’s pleasure” joyfully! Amen.

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Here I Am To Worship

Light of the world,

You stepped down into darkness,

Opened my eyes, let me see.

Beauty that made

This heart adore You,

Hope of a life spent with You.

King of all days,

Oh, so highly exalted,

Glorious, in heaven above.

Humbly You came

To the earth You created

All for love's sake became poor.

So, here I am to worship.

Here I am to bow down.

Here I am to say that You're my God.

And You're altogether lovely,

Altogether worthy,

Altogether wonderful to me!

Tim Hughes

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