The idol behind all other idols is the “my will first” sinner. It was Satan’s first lie: “You shall be as gods, determining good and evil for yourselves.” It remains his most attractive lie, elevated in our land to the status of unquestionable right – to reserve for myself the right to make the final decision about what I do and think. This is a claim to be God.
As our own masters, we ask all the wrong questions: Do I want this? Does this please me? What will others think of me? Will this get me to the place I want to be? We are self-love masters, would-be gods walking the earth. Rebellious creatures make bad deities. Look at the lives man-worship has ruined, the marriages it has been broken, the delusions it has fostered, the statism it breeds.
Jesus Christ is the best Master. First, he frees us from slavery to sin and Satan. Second, he replaces the love of sinning with the love of righteousness. Third, he, the Lord of all, humbled himself to die to redeem the slaves who rebelled against him. Our Master took our chains upon himself to make us free, became sin for us to make us righteous. No wonder the angels still study God’s great Gospel.
Rescuing us from me-ism, our Master also gives us a holy, life-altering mission. “It is enough for the disciple that he be as his Master, and the slave as his Lord” (Matt. 10:25). We pray each morning, “Master, how can I serve you today? Lord, what you have for me to do today?” We are brought with a price and not our own. Our attitudes must honor our Master, and our relationships, our time, our trials. We belong to our Lord. Freedom!! We get to be like our beautiful Master.
He was about his Father’s business, and he gives to us a tremendous mission – to be like our Master and to serve our Lord in whatever calling he gives. Do not think a long search is required to find the perfect position to serve him. There are no perfect places – there is a perfect Master. “Fervent in spirit, serving the Lord” (Rom. 12:11) – slave or free, male or female, rich or poor, we have one Master, and he calls us to serve him right where we are (1 Cor. 7:20-22), in all we do (1 Cor. 10:31), obeying his word (Luke 6:46), “serving the Lord Christ” (Col. 3:24). Believer, do you feel the glory of serving Him?
You see, there is really only one story being told, only one life to live. It is Christ’s life and story, the One sent from heaven. We are crucified with him, and we live, but strangely, we do not live. Christ lives in us (Gal. 2:20). The life that is remembered is the life lived in service to the Master. This is the reason godly men are remembered – they serve their Master, and he told and worked out his story through them. It will be the same with you. If you want your life to count, dedicate it to your Master. Be on mission for him – everywhere, your words and work, business and politics. You will find your life, abounding purpose, and perfect peace in your Master’s service.