Deuteronomy 15:17-23: a reflection

17then you shall take an awl, and thrust it through his ear to the door, and he shall be your servant forever. Also to your female servant you shall do likewise. 18It shall not seem hard to you when you let him go free from you, for he has been double the value of a hired hand as he served you six years. The LORD your God will bless you in all that you do. 19You shall dedicate all the firstborn males that are born of your herd and of your flock to the LORD your God. You shall do no work with the firstborn of your herd, nor shear the firstborn of your flock. 20You shall eat it before the LORD your God year by year in the place which the LORD shall choose, you and your household. 21If it has any defect—is lame or blind, or has any defect whatever, you shall not sacrifice it to the LORD your God. 22You shall eat it within your gates. The unclean and the clean shall eat it alike, as the gazelle and as the deer. 23Only you shall not eat its blood. You shall pour it out on the ground like water.

Among these laws is one about a servant who, when his time of service is over and he could go free, chooses instead to stay with his master forever, out of love. The awl through the ear was the mark of this willing, permanent service, chosen freely and out of love, not compelled. Rather than take his freedom, the servant chose to belong to his master, to serve him always, because he loved him and was content in his house. His was a willing service, chosen out of love, not the grudging service of compulsion.

Notice the nature of this service: willing, chosen out of love, not compelled. The servant could have gone free; but he chose to stay, to belong to his master forever, because he loved him. His service was not forced or grudging, the labor of one who serves because he must; it was freely chosen, out of love, the glad service of one who wanted to belong. He gave himself willingly, out of love, to serve forever, choosing to belong rather than to go free. His was the service of love, not of compulsion.

That willing, love-motivated service points to how we are to serve God: freely, out of love, choosing to belong to him. We can serve God grudgingly, out of a sense of obligation, as those who serve because they must; but the willing servant chose to belong out of love, and this is the service God desires. God does not want a grudging, compelled service, but the glad, willing service of those who choose to belong to him out of love. Do not serve God grudgingly, out of mere obligation; give yourself to him willingly, out of love, choosing to belong to him, as the servant chose to belong to his master forever. Serve God with the glad, willing service of love, choosing to belong to him rather than serving grudgingly out of compulsion, as the servant, out of love, chose to stay with his master forever; for God desires the willing service of love, not the grudging service of compulsion, and calls us to belong to him gladly, out of love.

Lord, among these laws is one about a servant who, when his time of service is over and he could go free, chooses instead to stay with his master forever, out of love. The awl through the ear was the mark of this willing, permanent service, chosen freely and out of love, not compelled. Rather than take his freedom, the servant chose to belong to his master, because he loved him and was content in his house. His was a willing service, chosen out of love. Show me the nature of this service: willing, chosen out of love, not compelled. The servant could have gone free; but he chose to stay, because he loved him. His service was not forced or grudging; it was freely chosen, out of love, the glad service of one who wanted to belong. He gave himself willingly, choosing to belong rather than to go free. Let that willing, love-motivated service point me to how I am to serve you: freely, out of love, choosing to belong to you. I can serve you grudgingly, out of a sense of obligation, as those who serve because they must; but the willing servant chose to belong out of love, and this is the service you desire. You do not want a grudging, compelled service, but the glad, willing service of those who choose to belong to you out of love. Keep me from serving you grudgingly, out of mere obligation; help me give myself to you willingly, Lord, out of love, choosing to belong to you, as the servant chose to belong to his master forever. Help me serve you with the glad, willing service of love.