this is where I act as a writer and an artist

Into His Servitude

God is good all the time and all the time, God is good.

Just like how God led the Israelites through the wilderness with pillars of fire and cloud, when I look back at my life, each step that I took, it is impossible not to see the traces of his works. And I can say without a doubt that it is solely through his grace, that I am who I am.

People say life is like a rollercoaster. This was indeed the case for me not only in my professional life but also in my spiritual life—there have been just so many ups and downs. In moments of spiritual despair, I've noticed a singular cause: a pervasive force that serves as Satan's primary means to weaken us and the formidable weapon responsible for leading many astray: sin. No one is condemned to hell because one is mad or possessed by the evil spirits. The Bible is crystal clear that the sole reason for anyone's damnation is their unforgiven sin.

When I look back at my life, that’s how deadly sin truly was. When I say this, it wasn't a matter of being punished by God for my misdeeds; instead, those actions served to distance me from him. As written in Isaiah, there were times when it felt like, "… [my] iniquities have separated [me] from [my] God; [my] sins have hidden his face from [me,] so that he will not hear." – Isaiah 59:2

The Old Testament lists hundreds if not thousands of sinful acts to describe what sin is, which Jesus later expands to note that even having sinful thoughts are sin: “But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” – Matthew 5:28

One could ask – then what exactly is sin? To answer this, I would like to draw a parallel and consider how darkness is not a physical substance in itself but the absence of light. Similarly, I believe that at its core, sin can be understood as the absence of God's sovereignty in our lives; it represents a state where we fail to grant God complete authority over our existence—in other words, the state of not being his true servants.

The Bible describes God as a jealous God who doesn't want us to serve any other lords; he has called us to be humble servants of him and him only. However, sin has frequently intruded on this relationship, falsely presenting itself as serving our needs, while in actuality, we fall into servitude under it. I can reflect on countless times when pride, jealousy, and sexual desires, among others, have been the "lords" of my life. Those were the desires and the motivators of my actions and thoughts. Yes, these thoughts could seem "natural" as we are humans. However, God asks us to let go of them, to love him the most, and to let him be our only Lord. Note how Abraham was able to obey God to even sacrifice his most loved son Isaac. Abraham's willingness to prioritize God above everything else exemplified his complete submission and servitude, allowing God to have his full sovereignty in one’s life.

Like how God guided Abraham to call him his servant, the Exodus story is a profound illustration of God's work in his people to transition from being servants of the world to serving Him. Despite the hardships in the exodus journey, including the loss of an entire generation in the wilderness, this journey ultimately led to the Israelite’s return to God's servitude. Perhaps, this symbolizes the necessary transformation in our lives: a rebirth into servitude to God. As we strive to draw closer to Him and acknowledge Him as our sole Lord, He will guide us, like the divine guidance offered to the Israelites through pillars of fire and cloud.

Until I meet You in heaven, Lord, let You be my ultimate desire, purpose, and hope. Grant me the strength to persevere towards the heavenly call in Christ Jesus. Fill me with your spirit so I don’t conform to the world and my desires be the ones for the spirit, not flesh. Use my life to glorify your name. Pity such a sinner and allow me to be your servant.

“Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.” – John 15:4

Yejoon David Yun | 02/04/2024