Follower or Slave?

Recently a 9 year old boy in my son's Bible camp posed this question...Shouldn't I be a follower of Jesus instead of a slave since being a slave is bad? Honest question. Don't we all at one time or another think the same thing? Being called a slave certainly has negative connotations. But, the truth of the matter is...we ALREADY are slaves, whether we like it or not, whether we believe it or not. (John 8:34)

Romans 6 teaches us "you are slaves to the one whom you obey" (v. 16). So are we willing to entrust ourselves to be slaves to Christ Jesus?

Or will we continue to allow ourselves to be slaves to our flesh...
'I feel like watching trash,' says the flesh...so we bow down to it.
'I feel like eating more and more,'...so we feed it.
'I want to buy more to make myself feel good - You deserve it!' says the world...so we give in. When we submit to that which is contrary to God's Word, we are allowing our selves to be enslaved by our flesh, by the world and by our archenemy, Satan himself.

So, like that 9 year old boy, don't we often wish we could just FOLLOW Jesus? Go to church on Sunday, give some money, read a few verses, tell people how godly we think we are and move on with what WE really want to do...get the glory, buy more stuff, eat more junk and gorge ourselves ON ourselves! Or are we willing to lay down our selfish, disgusting hearts and pick up the cross of denial, obedience, and selfless unto death?

Oh, how I desire to be a fully willing slave-servant to my Lord! I fail so terribly often, but praise God for the grace of Jesus as I seek to pursue Him as He chooses to be pursued..by a humble servant with a cross over her shoulder.