Rest and Rejoice Message Magazines Sabbath Edition Devotional for Sabbath, May 10, 2014 Based Upon Exodus 14:11, 12 Slave Mentality There are those that have been enslaved for such a long period of time that they cannot conceive of themselves being free. The burden of their captivity has broken their spirit, and it is nearly impossible to instill hope in them. After many years of hoping and being disappointed, they cannot be convinced that a change is possible. People of color endured centuries of slavery in the United States. Their slave masters gave them inferior food, poor living conditions, attempted to take their religion from them, and promoted disunity among them. Now, many years later, many people whose ancestors endured the slavery still demonstrate a slave mentality. This defeatist mentality is apparent in limited aspirations, pessimism, violence, poor eating habits, consistently choosing bad relationships, and other life defeating choices. As God delivered the children of Israel from Egyptian slavery, the road was rough. At every turn they opposed the process of liberation God had employed. When they experienced the slightest trials, they desired to go back into slavery. Instead of looking forward to the final stages of liberation, they envisioned themselves as content slaves. This was sad. The Lord gave them signs in the sky by day and night to let them know that He was with them. He amplified the seventh-day Sabbath so they could regain a grasp on God through acceptable religion. He provided them manna from heaven and water in the desert, yet they desired the debilitating meats of slavery. They, no doubt, would rather have drunk the wine of bondage than the fresh water of progressive freedom. Today, many that have chosen to follow Jesus begin to become discouraged as they grow. Sometimes the difficulty that comes through sacrificing self and sin on the altar of liberation is overwhelming. They allow the enemy to coax them into yielding Godly religion, heavenly bread, that is, the Word of God, and the hope of complete freedom that comes at the second advent of Jesus. Let the Lord invigorate you. Allow Him to instill a victorious mentality within you. As we grow through the difficult processes of emancipation, not giving up, we may appreciate the ways in which God leads us. We grow in optimism and welcome the opportunity to lead others to spiritual freedom. We want to tell the whole world about our emancipator Jesus Christ. Do not cherish a slave mentality. Accept the freedom that comes from knowing Christ. “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.” John 8:36.—L. David Harris
Posted on: Sat, 10 May 2014 10:36:37 +0000
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