Titus 1:1

This letter is from Paul, a slave of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ.

Paul was born into a strongly Jewish family and also had the privilege of being a Roman citizen. It is quite likely that his family was wealthy and that he would have been waited on by slaves from birth. He himself certainly wasn’t a slave within his society, but when it came to his relationship with God, slavery was precisely the right description. God was in command of his life.

I wonder how you describe yourself. In our society, people like to be in control of their lives, but Christian faith deliberately involves handing over the controls to God. The reason for this is simply that He understands us perfectly and is far better able to direct our lives. Slave of God is therefore a title of honour and pride.

Paul’s other description of himself is as an apostle of Jesus Christ. For Paul, the defining moment of his life occurred on the road to Damascus. On that journey, he was confronted by the risen Lord Jesus, and he was convinced that he had been commissioned by Jesus himself to spread the good news among non-Jews. Paul hadn’t had the privilege of knowing Jesus during His earthly ministry, but he was sure that he had become one of His apostles, sent out to spread the gospel.

Paul was always concerned to emphasise that his ministry wasn’t his idea. It was God’s. It was God who had called him, and God who would equip him for his vital ministry. Whatever we are doing today, it’s important for us all to remind ourselves that we are called by God and therefore perfectly equipped to do whatever He calls us to do.

Question

How would you respond to being described as the ‘Slave of God’?

Prayer

Loving God, thank You for calling me to serve You today. Thank You that You promise to strengthen me for everything that You ask me to do. Amen