Scripture Read: Isaiah 41:1-45:25
Focus Passage: Isaiah 44:1
Date: 8/31/10 – 10:51 am
Journal Entry:
I actually choose this passage because of a discussion I read in Nelson’s Commentary concerning a previous section that used the term “servant” to refer to Israel. The commentary stated that the title of “servant of the Lord” was a great honor. Specifically, it stated that there is no higher position to which a person can aspire. This caught my attention because it relates well to many of the issues and struggles that I had following college.
After school, I searched for the means of significance in life. I attempt to weigh various ends in life in order to determine which seemed to be worth my time to pursue. I was in the military for a period because I believed there was no higher calling than to serve the needs of others. After I saw government work for what it was, I left and decided to pursue a simpler life in Wyoming. I worked on a ranch using my hands and brute strength as I sweated under the summer sun. I enjoyed it greatly until I realized that I did have an education that afforded me great opportunities, some of which I owed it to myself and my privileges to pursue. I left Wyoming to return back East and wound up in Lancaster, PA. I moved there to be close to good friends of mine and quickly got set up in the business world working as a stockbroker for a top-name Wall Street firm. It wasn’t a year and a half until I realized that I found much more fulfillment serving my church than I did selling investments. I wanted deeply to be a servant of God like my pastor or the missionaries that I knew and I began not to care very much about the corner office at the firm. I left from there to attend seminary here at DTS.
Israel was called (chosen) to be the servant of the Lord. There is no higher calling, but so many of the devil’s tricks are built upon fooling believers into thinking otherwise. I’m so glad that the Lord directed my path the way He has. So glad that He provided the funding for me to leave my life in PA and travel to TX and pursue this entire degree at the expense of the government due to my military service. He designed my path and after showing me that servant hood was the best duty I could be devoted to, He paved the way to allow me to pursue it. Praise the Lord for that!
Tony, Great thoughts on servant hood! Reflecting on that it seems that some Christian organizations today are tending to set aside Christ’s model for the secular “top down” one that the world embraces. This brings a great sadness to those down near the grass roots for they soon feel that they are being “told” what to do instead of “servant modeled” how to live. Some great man said, “leadership is a gift from the people under you!” and I say, “amen, you have to earn it throug servanthood” We need to get together again before too long! I did some trout fishing recently with a resurrected rod that my grandfather once used. Caught about 10 trout up at Roaring River in MO. What a blast! Wish you could have been there! Ken
Ken, I just reread your comment today after looking back over the semester and reading all my old posts. Thanks again for your words here. It is a really good observation you make about how Christian organizations are taking the shape of the “top down” models used in the business world. Leadership starts with service, there are no bones about it. I hope we can get together for fishing soon – I promise to bring a license next time!
Tony