Slavery Still Exist

"....for a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him."  Wow God!  What are you saying?  That is what I asked God this morning as I read about false prophets and teachers and how they will be slaves to their own lies of darkness and will enslave us by convincing us what they say is true.  It said so much more though.  Just that one portion of 2 Peter 2:19 really has me thinking.  What am I a slave to?  Is it fear, acceptance, money, food...what is it?  Who or what has mastered me.  This is really something for me to think about. 

For the past few months I have been on this mission to become fully transparent.  Maybe it is not something someone else wants to be but I know as long as I am transparent then I cannot hide behind my sin.  My strength is in loving people.  I love everyone believe it or not.  I just love to love.  Of course there are my weaknesses.  I need to be needed and  I hate rejection.  Maybe because I was rejected by my natural parents.  Maybe because all throughout my life I never felt like I belonged.  In my mind I was a "will do."  "Oh she will do for the meantime until I find another friend."  "She will do until we find a more qualified worker."  "She will do until we no longer need her or she no longer goes along with what we say."   "Will do" was my master.  At least one of my masters.  Just quickly thinking about it, I have had many masters.  It doesn't work.  Eventually it destroys you.

Slave -

1. One bound in servitude as the property of a person or household.

2. One who is abjectly subservient to a specified person or influence

3. One who works extremely hard.

For me slavery means bondage and I don't want to be bound by anything else.  I think we get being a slave and being a servant confused.  For so long man has portrayed God as this slave master who wants to control us.  I just don't see it that way.  If that was the case then why are there so many successful unbelievers.  God's intention from the beginning was for us to live here and enjoy the beauty of His creation.  It was man's choice just like it is now to be disobedient yet we call God a slave driver.  I don't think so.  He has been trying to get us back on the right track for generations knowing that many will turn away.  He could have just destroyed the earth and recreated another perfect one.  That right there makes me think of an abortion.  So, because the baby didn't have 10 toes and 10 fingers we just get rid of it?  God is not that shallow.  In fact, if I look back over just the past year I can see how gracious and kind He has been to me.  We should all do that.  Just take a moment and think about our lives over the past week and see how God has protected us, encouraged us through His word and others and just showed himself over and over again.  It is very humbling.  While we are at it we should try to identify the things we are enslaved to.  Maybe it is not things, maybe it is people.  What?  You don't think anyone can enslave you?  You better think again. We enslave each other with our high expectations everyday. 

This is definitely something for me to think about.  What enslaves me?  Whew! Here I go again.  I better put my knee pads on.  This is going to have me on my knees double time.