(Living seed Vol 9 No.2 April 2002)
“Who is blind, but My servant? Or deaf, as My messenger that I sent? Who is blind as He that ts perfect, and blind as the Lord’s servant?” Isa 42:19
Now, look at Jesus – a pattern servant
- He stripped Himself of all that could have made Him a master, all privileges, all rightful dignity, all attributes, in order to serve! Though, they are not my own attributes; they are not my rightful possessions… They are ornaments of His grace… They were put on me by the mercy of God… I must still be ready to strip myself of all, to lay them aside and put on a towel of service, to be available for any further assignment under God! No past achievement or attainment must be retained or maintained by force, if it be necessary to empty myself of them in order to fit for the next line of service for my LORD.
- He humbled – abased and lowered himself to be dust (of a mere human) …
A servant ought not to raise himself while his master speaks. He abandons whatever he knows to get and take final instructions from His Master… He discards His own self knowledge so as to speak only what is His Master’s interest and wisdom.
Though there is no knowledge I now have that I was not taught. All I know now were not always there… They were lessons of His love to me; they were His own wisdom that were graciously deposited into my life… Men may repute me as wise on the account of this, but I know that I was not wise and am yet, to remain a servant, fit for the next line of service assignment, I must lay all this past endowment to the dust and learn of Him; of His principles, of His purposes, and of His program for this current time. A servant does not draw from the old reservoir of knowledge… then he would have graduated and obtained freedom – he who needs no fresh instruction from the master anymore, but can act of his own self decision… Hear my Master – the pattern servant:
“I of myself can do nothing; As I hear I judge…”
Even with all His accumulated experience; with all His past exploits… and all He has learnt of His Father… He still of Himself does nothing… What He sees the Father do, that the Son does likewise…”
LORD, this is the challenge I must not wave aside… To remain a servant, I must not act from my past knowledge or experience, though it be learnt and gleaned from His presence. - He became obedient: He carried His obedience to the extreme of death, even the death of the cross…
Servants are servants because they are obedient. They are submissive. They submit and subject, subordinate and surrender themselves to the will, the wish and the whims of their Master… Their obedience is not because it appears reasonable to them; befitting or beneficial to their dignity, profiting or profitable to their ambition… Their obedience actually is the essence of their service! Even if it is just to service the ‘ego’ of their Master they are willing to be used to satisfy the ambition of Him whom they serve.
Lord, to remain a servant, in whom Your heart can safely trust, I must prove obedience – not just to things that look progressive to my life or career but to all things that are in YOUR will and in Your purpose. My comfort and self-fulfilment ought not to be my primary concern, but joy…
For Jesus, His obedience was tested and proved at all points — at the Baptism of John; at the well of Samaria, at the cross and at death… Lord help me to grow in obedience… Give me opportunity to perfect in obedience from day to day… Grant me the grace to also walk in obedience…
Let Me Thy Servant Be!
LORD, my heart yearns to be conformed to Thy image. To be like Jesus is all my aim and constant prayer…
“But when Jesus knew it, He withdrew Himself from thence and great multitudes followed Him and He healed thein all , And charged them that they should not make Him known, That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the Prophet, saying “Behold My Servant , whom I have chosen; My beloved, in whom My Soul is well pleased; I will put My Spirit upon Him, and He shall show judgement to the gentiles. He shall not strife nor cry; neither shall any man hear His voice in the streets. A bruised reed shall He not break, and smoking flax shall He not quench till He send forth judgement unto victory. And in His name shall the Gentiles trust” Matt 12:15-21
LORD, I know You know the cry of my heart today… I want to be a servant, like Your servant
Self-effacing
He withdrew Himself from the place of unnecessary contention and conflict. Multitudes, great multitudes followed Him… He commands the crowd, he pulls the crowd… with authentic anointing… He healed them all: yet He was not pressed for publicity. He never went to the PRESS, because of the press. He charged them that they should not make Him known!
What a man is this Jesus! LORD help my heart as well… The desire to be known, be heard, be exalted, be loved is strong… but to be Your servant… I must only labour to lift You up among men… You must increase, while I must decrease! He shall not strive, nor cry neither shall any man hear His voice in the streets. What a matter need to keep close to my own heart again and again… .
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