God's Most Valuable Slave

2 Corinthians 4:1  ¹Therefore, since through God's mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart.

Another aspect of this ministry Paul talks about is found in 2 Corinthians 2 :14-17:  

¹⁴But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. ¹⁵For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. ¹⁶To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life. And who is equal to such a task? ¹⁷Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, like men sent from God.

In an earlier blog I shared about the implication of the passage that says God "always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him". The focus of my sharing was on the seriousness of our ministry as believers in relation to others. Indeed preaching the gospel of Christ is a matter of life and death to those around us.

As I look closer at 2 Corinthians 2 :14-17 another dimension is made evident to me. This dimension relates to me both as a believer and a minister. Explicit in the passage is the fact that like those captives being paraded before their conquering warrior, I too am to be a public display of Christ's triumph in my life. My life is to be a testimony of His goodness and greatness.

I am God's captive. I am a captive driven ahead of His triumphant procession.The difference is instead of me being conquered through a violent and ruthless act of war, I have been subdued by the loving sacrifice of my Lord Jesus. Instead of me being mortally wounded, it was my Lord who took the blows on my behalf that I may live. I am God's because I have been bought with the greatest price--Christ's precious blood. Unlike the slaves in the Roman procession, I am a person of great value who need not walk in shame. Unlike the slaves in the Roman triumphal procession who have been forcefully taken captive, God has waited on me to willingly submit myself to His Lordship so I can be His willing bond-slave motivated by the love He has poured into my heart. Such awesome humility of an All-Powerful God! Out of this awesome blessedness I must freely minister not for want of profit, but with a sincere heart knowing that I am God's and none other.