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Wednesday, June 24, 2009

I Am Not My Own

For many years of my adult life I have been pregnant and/or nursing...in fact more months than I care to count right now. During that time, I realize that what I intake to my body affects more than me. It affects my baby too. If I drink too much caffeine, if I don´t get enough calcium, if I eat too much junk and not enough good stuff it affects the development of my baby. If I take medicines they can enter the baby´s system and affect him/her as well as me. Also the things I do affect my baby. If I am deprived of oxygen, then my baby is too. If I get too hot, my baby does too. I realize during those times very poignantly that my body is not just my own, it is also the dwelling place of another.

In reality since I gave my life to God, my body, my life, is not my own even more than when I am pregnant or nursing since it it is continually the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit. The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 "Don´t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body." As Christians, not only are we the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit, but also we have been bought by God with a high price. He paid for us with the precious blood of Jesus who died so that we could have a restored relationship with God. These verses tell us that we must honor God with our bodies.

What does that mean? It means that I must not just honor God with my mouth, but with my entire life with my whole body. Whatever I say, whatever I do, where ever I go is to show honor to God. I now belong to Him. I can´t just spend my money on what I want. I can´t just go where I want to go. I can´t just do what I want to do. Not if those things are not what God wants for me. I owe Him my life. He bought it. I´m not my own.

Have you ever seen pictures of tribes in Africa that have their ear lobes stretched with big holes? Nowadays this is even somewhat popular in the States. I have often thought about doing that in just one ear. I´d have the lobe of one of my ears stretched with a hole about a half of a centimeter in diameter. Now before you judge me harshly let me tell you the reasons I would do this. (Really and truly I am staying on point here and there is a correlation coming so hang in there with me.) There is a passage in Exodus that talks about servants and setting them free after 6 years of service. Then it goes on to say "But if the servant plainly says, "I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free," then his master shall bring him to the judges. He shall also bring him to the door, or to the doorpost, and his master shall pierce his ear with an awl; and he shall serve him forever." (Exodus 21:6)

So what did being a bondservant mean? It was someone who had willfully given their life to their master to be his slave and serve him forever. It meant that the person had voluntarily given up their freedom to walk away from their Master. A bondservant was marked by their Owner. They had a big hole in their ear lobe showing everyone (and as a reminder to themselves) that they had chosen their life of servitude. They said, "I love you, Lord, and I don't want to leave You." I will do your bidding. It also meant that the Master had marked them as His servants for life. There was no going back. You couldn´t walk away or get your freedom back and the Owner could not send you away. You were bonded to Him. A bondservant is one who devoted to his Master with disregard of his own interests. A bondservant does not expect to be served, but instead has voluntarily chosen to serve. I have given over my life to the control of another. As the old song says, "Where ever He leads, I´ll go." Paul, Peter, Jude, John, James, Simeon and Jesus among others called themselves bondservants. They weren´t MADE to be servants, they CHOSE to become servants. They chose a life of servanthood. They gave over the ownership and decision making of their lives to Another.

That is what I have committed to do and to be. I am a bondservant of my Lord Jesus Christ. The reason I would choose to have my ear lobe stretched is as a sign, a remembrance, both to remind me and to show others that I have chosen to stay with my Master forever and serve Him and do His will, not to have my own free life.

My body is not my own. My life is not my own. I have Someone whom I have voluntarily chosen to serve. There is no going back on that commitment. So forward I go.

5 comments:

Barbara said...

This is great - thank you for posting it on your blog :)

The Holmans In Bolivia said...

Thanks for your encouragement, Barbara. I am so glad that my post was a blessing to you.

Ashley L. @ Missionary Moms said...

I wanted to stop by to invite you to join in on the second photo challenge at Missionary Moms! The topic this time is “His Beautiful Creation.” Stop by ForMissionaryMoms.com to find out more about the challenge and how to join in on the fun and encouragement!

~Ashley

Faders said...

Denise,
Finally I get a chance to catch up with your family. It was fun to read through your blog and hear the adventures in Coch. Can't believe how quickly your family is growing. HOw old is Mercy? Joshua turns one in a few weeks! We're doing well. Just celebrated two years in Sudan and Eli's bridge is done. Please say hi to the whole fam for us! We miss you!
Love Bethany for the Faders

The Holmans In Bolivia said...

Thanks Ashley for the invitation.

Bethany, how great to hear from you. I just checked out your blog too and it was great to catch up on you guys. YEA!! The bridge is finished!! Mercy will be a year on September 19. The time is flying by. We love and miss you guys and pray for you often!