DON'T LET THE PERMISSIBLE BE THE MASTER
- Key Verse
- "All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered by anything." (1 Corinthians 6:12)
READ TODAY'S PASSAGE-
READ THE CHAPTER
Central Truth
Let the Lord alone be your master.
Reflections
Okay, the title for the passage in my Bible is Sexual Immorality, and as a happily married woman, I'm thinking I can just skip this section. However, verse 12 with its "but I will not be mastered by anything" kind-of jumps off the page. Anything covers everything, so what is it that masters me?
I know the correct answer should be Jesus, but does my life line up with that? Sadly, sometimes the answer is no. I can get caught up in lots of things that master me, at least for awhile; things that consume my thoughts and actions; things that may not matter for long, but while they matter, are hard to let go of; or things that I don't want to live without. Here are some of my masters:
Cigarettes- I quit a long time ago, but I remember how it was and
how I HAD TO HAVE them.
Beanie Babies- Yes, I know they were supposed to be toys, but there
were some I HAD TO HAVE.
Pens-Okay, I'm pretty sure they were free at the Dr.'s office.
Diet Coke- Just one GIANT one all day long, everyday.
This is a tricky issue because while things are permissible, they can quickly become the master. I think we have to look beyond the usual suspects (drugs, alcohol, gambling, pornography, etc.) to whatever it is in our life. The first step is to recognize when we are mastered by something, and then we need to get back on track. A great place to get back on track is Celebrate Recovery. The whole mission of CR is to help us with hurts, habits, and hang-ups.
I'm thankful to have a place to go to get back on track when I need it and a church family that loves me.
Paul is saying not to let ANYTHING be more important to us than our relationship with Christ. Don't let the fact that EVERYTHING is permissible cause you to be mastered by ANYTHING. Remain faithful to Jesus, the true Master.
So much for skipping this section; I'm glad I didn't.
Discussion Questions
- What are some things that have mastered you?
- How did you feel when you were mastered by something other than Jesus?
- How did you get back on track?
April 30, 2010 06:51 AM
Great job Terri! I loved what you had to say and the personal way that you related it to your readers. You have me thinking about what my be distracting me from staying centered on Jesus on a daily basis. Wonderful heads-up for all of us!Thanks for sharing. Julie
Denise
April 30, 2010 08:19 AM
Thanks Terri so much for this message this morning. Celebrate Recovery has meant so much in my journey of healing and I will forever be grateful. Thanks, Denise
Kelly Spencer
April 30, 2010 08:55 AM
OK I would like to be able to say "I just cant wait until join the journey tomorrow!!!" but alas I can not, some of the writings are more inspiring than others. I loved yours!! sharp, witty (my personal favorite) and dead on. I would have been very sad had I missed yours! Kelly
Jeri Stewart
April 30, 2010 08:57 AM
Terri, Great devotion, but, OUCH, made me evaluate all the little things that might be mastering my life. Thanks for the reminder. Jeri
Joe Kaufman
April 30, 2010 09:00 AM
Terri, I can really relate to the truth you've laid out in today's devotional. Thanks for stating it so clearly - I've been there and still find it difficult to avoid being "mastered" by self-centered wants!
cindy molder
April 30, 2010 09:39 AM
Your easy to read conversational style of writing and your raw honesty really drive home the point of Paul's message. Thank you for reminding us to remain faithful to the true Master.
Randy Cummings
May 1, 2010 07:26 AM
You hit it out of the park Terri. Thank you.