Guest, servant, tenant, or King?
One of my most incredible memories is when I decided to move out of my parent’s home. It was both frightening and exciting at the same time. The reason for these mixed emotions is that you realize you’re no longer under your parent’s protection as a man. However, it also means you now make your own decisions, make your own rules. In other words, you are now “king of your castle.”
I enjoyed living in that condo for a couple of years. Shortly after, I met my wife in that complex because she had also purchased a condo there. We connected immediately and became inseparable. A year later, I proposed, and a year after that, we got married. She, of course, moved in, but we wanted to hold on to her investment, so we rented her condo out. In the years that followed, we had various tenants, some good, some bad, a few great. The most frustrating part of being a landlord was that we were limited, although we owned the apartment.
For instance, we needed to request access to the unit with advance notice if we had to enter for any reason. Also, we had to coordinate with the tenant’s schedule when repairs were necessary. Another issue was maintenance and care. Many of them didn’t care for the unit as we would have. For example, we once rented the unit furnished, only to discover a massive roach infestation after she left. As a result, we had to throw out almost all of the furniture.
I share this story because I think it’s an excellent example of how we tend to treat God. You see, because they were tenants, I was a guest in “their” home. But, I also considered myself a servant, as I often catered to their needs. All of this to say that despite owning the condo, I was not “king of the castle.” Scripture tells us we were purchased at a price and now belong to God. Considering this, are you treating God as a guest, servant, tenant, or King?
Daily Directive:
Answer and Journal the Following
Read:
1 Corinthians 6:19-20
Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, 20 for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.
Pray:
Pray for courage to be obedient to what God calls you to do.
Meditate / Make It Real:
Contemplate and meditate on or memorize the passage. What is God saying to you? Then, determine what you will do with what you’ve learned.
Share / Show:
Share and show what you’ve learned with someone else.