Musing – Who Should Be Serving Whom?

Hebraic Musing – Who Should Be Serving Whom?

In Genesis 41 we read that “Pharaoh had a dream: He was standing by the Nile, when out of the river there came up seven cows,…”  NIV   We might easily picture Pharaoh simply standing on the bank of the River Nile and receiving visions that were to be translated into seven years of abundance followed by seven years of famine.  But Jewish Rabbis think the Hebrew word for “by” should be translated as “Over.” (1)   Thus they point out that the Egyptian Pharaoh views the River Nile as their God and thus he was “over” his god; furthermore, the purpose of their god, the river, was to serve the needs of the Egyptians.  The thinking of the Egyptians is somewhat understandable since they are extremely dependent on the river Nile as their critical source of life-giving water.  So they feel their god serves them.

By contrast, what does our God, the God of the Israelites expect?  Deut. 10:12  “And now, O Israel, what does the Lord your God ask of you but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul,” NIV   Another perspective – when Jacob was traveling to Haran in Gen.28:10-13 he laid down on a stone to sleep and “He had a dream in which he saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it.  There above it stood the Lord... the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac.” Gen 28:12-13 

See the contrast?  The Egyptians think their god is to serve their needs; whereas we are taught that we are to serve our Judeo/Christian God who is above us.  This caused me to reflect on a suggested outline we are taught to use when praying to Almighty God:

1.      Give thanks                 - for everything

2.      Surrender                    - yield to Him as your LORD

3.      Ask forgiveness          - as we forgive others

4.      Talk about needs         - and wants and desires - conversationally     -

5.      Worship                       - ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; his holiness…

As we look at that outline, I’m wondering whether my prayers, my conversations, with Almighty God are balanced, or am I overly focused on #4?  Am I thinking too much like the Pharaoh thinks?

For years, our favorite family verse on our answering machine and on plaques around the house recite Joshua 24:15  “But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, … But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord."

I have known to comment sarcastically that we sing Isaiah 40:31 ♫ “But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength…”; but we pray like we are expecting the Lord to wait on or serve us.

Points to ponder

Do we serve Him or do we expect Him to serve us?

When we pray, are we asking God how we can serve Him?
Or, are we begging for Him to take care of (serve) our needs, wants and desires?

How should I be serving Him?  What should I be doing for Him?

“Serve the Lord with fear and rejoice with trembling.” Psalm 2:11

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd                                   January 3, 2017

Author: “Hebraic Insights – Messages exploring the Hebrew roots of our faith” 
“Biblical Marriage” “Musings - A Victorious Life”  “Musings - The Torah and New Testament”
Weekly “Hebraic Musings”      www.InsightsByYosef.com

(1)  Strong’s definition - OT:5921  lu   (al); properly, the same as OT:5920 (Above or aloft) used as a preposition …;above, over, upon, or against (yet always in this last relation with a downward aspect)