TRULY I AM THY SERVANT.

 

EVENING DEVOTIONS by James Smith

JANUARY 21

 

O LORD, truly I am thy servant; I am thy servant,

and the son of thine handmaid: thou hast loosed

my bonds. -Psalm 116:16

 
Yes, we are the Lord’s servant, created for his glory, redeemed to show forth his praise, regenerated to exhibit his virtues: we are his by the strongest ties.
 
Jesus is our Master, his will is our law, and his pleasure should be our delight.
 
Our Master is also our example; as the servant of the Father he appeared in our world. 

Consulted the Father’s will in all that he did, and suffered without complaining, all the Father saw fit to inflict. 

He humbled himself and became obedient, and now he is exalted, and extolled, and is very high; and to us he says, “If any man serve me, let him imitate me: and where I am there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me him will me father honour.”
 
Obedience to Christ may sink us in the eyes of men, but it exalts us in the sight of God; it may expose us to suffering and contempt before the world, but God will honour us with his presence and smiles, and will afterwards receive us to glory.
 
Well, whose servant have we been to-day? Whom have we been seeking to please?
 
Whose cause have we been endeavoring to promote?
 
Can we retire to rest as the servants of Christ, willing to go to him whenever he calls us?
 

Jesus, how great thy servants are!

What dignity on man bestow’d!

We, who rejoice thy yoke to bear,

Are honour’d with the esteem of God.

 
James Smith