Held There: To Serve and to Save

Tuesday 3-22-16   Martinez, Buenos Aires.

Scripture reading:    Joshua 12 – 14    1 Cor 7

S.  1 Cor 7:15-16 But God has called us to peace.  For how do you know, O wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, O husband, whether you will save your wife?  NKJV

O.  The Apostle Paul is dealing with situations related to matrimony primarily in this chapter, but he includes such relationships as slaves and masters.  He sees a Christian who is found in a marriage with an unsaved spouse... as in a position to possibly win that spouse to the Lord.

A. Perhaps we should relate this to our day where many are “slaves” in the sense that they are committed, anchored to serve at a certain job although no longer by choice.  They find it necessary for survival and for the survival of their families, to remain at their difficult position in spite of an unpleasant and difficult task master.  In our culture we choose our wife and promise to stay with her “till death do us part.”  But in our business world we may not always have a choice as to whom we will be made subject to... or who may work beside us.  We are placed, quite like slaves, in relationships that we did not choose.  To Paul’s words I would dare to add: “How do you know, O slave, whether your presence will save your fellow slave or your master?” 

I was his slave.  He cursed me mercilessly.  I felt that he treated me like dirt.  But I needed the job.  I stayed when others fled... and he finally surrendered to Christ and served God with great enthusiasm.  The story is in my book: “Argentina – A Love Story”. 

P.  Precious Father, how often we find ourselves caught in a “slavery” situation.  We are thrown together with fellow ‘slaves’ and ‘masters’ who are unpleasant and difficult.  We want “out” of this relationship, but seem bound by our circumstances.  Perhaps, Father, You have left us there to ‘serve and save’ that difficult master, that ‘fellow slave’ or yes, even an unsaved spouse.  You love that unpleasant person so much that You have placed us close by to suffer, to care for and to serve them with a loving heart... leading him or her right into the Kingdom of God.  Amen.

Ralph