Choosing Freedom

Exodus  21:5-6

"And if the servant shall plainly say, I love my master, my wife, and my children; 

I will not go out free: Then his master shall bring him unto the judges; he shall 

also bring him to the door, or unto the door post; and his master shall bore 

his ear through with an aul; and he shall serve him for ever."

    The Israelites had just been freed from slavery, and now the first law listed was about becoming slaves again!  Why was the ear singled out from all other body parts to be the place where the Hebrew slave was to be punished, what was the significance of that?

    God had given the children of Israel their freedom and explained that they would no longer be servants to any man, only servants to God. But the slave who chose to remain a slave refused  God’s gift and was not appreciative of his freedom. His ears heard God’s words, but he chose to ignore them, and that’s why the ear was to be pierced. 

    It’s hard to understand why anyone would willingly forfeit their freedom. When someone is enslaved, they are told what to do, when to do it, what to eat, when to sleep, and so forth.There is a comfort in servitude. There is no need to take risks or make choices. Freedom is a gift, but it also comes with responsibilities. For some people, it’s simply easier to remain a slave than step out into the great wide world of freedom.

    We fall into this same trap sometimes. We say it this way: "If only this or that were different, then I would be different." But God says that we are free to be whomever we want to be. We are slaves to no one and nothing but God! We can choose a life of slavery, believing that we have to do certain things or look a certain way. We can make excuses for why we can’t do this or that. But God wants us to be free. He wants us to know that only He is our master and that we are free to become whomever we choose. What kind of person would you like to be? Exercise your freedom and be that person now! 

Amen!

Reading: (Ex. 21:1-11)

Ref: (HG SB)

May God Bless You

And Your Family

Minister R. Lail Sr.

The Cross Life Ministry