Originally posted: Wednesday, January 6, 2010 at 11:47pm
I've wanted it for a while. It's another one in Hebrew. I don't speak Hebrew (that's on my list though), I just think it is a beautifully written language. It is "pretty"! My tattoo means "bond-servant". I got it tatted on the back of my neck. A little bit of pain, for a lifelong reminder. I am sure there are some biblical scholars out there that may find some holes in my explanation, be aware I am far from a biblical scholar. This is what I know it to mean: In biblical days if you committed a crime and someone came along and paid for your crime in order to spare you the punishment, out of gratitude you would become their "bond-servant". This isn't something you would do out of obligation, it was done with true joy. A bond-servant realizes that nothing they have belongs to them, it is all just being entrusted to their care. A bond-servant does not ever expect to be served, it lives to serve others. A bond-servant finds joy in their master. They are delighted to live for their Master. Ultimately a bond-servant understands their purpose, there is no confusion or misunderstanding on why they are living. They truly understand that they are not their own. That is the desire of my heart. I long to live in obedience to an amazing God that paid the price for my crime. He became Man to suffer a horrible death because He knew that is what had to be done in order for ME to be reconciled to God. He knew that many of us that know him would choose to live differently. He already knew that I would spend many moments turning my back on Him as I choose to please myself instead of Him. He knew I didn't deserve it, He knew I would even have a hard time accepting it. He knew that over and over I would fail in my quest of becoming more like Him. Yet He did it anyway! He lived a sinless life, suffered death on the cross and rose from the dead 3 days later in order to give me life! How in the world can I know all that and not find absolute JOY in knowing that everything I have is not mine, it has just been entrusted to me (including my kids), and how could I ever expect to be served, I want to live to serve others. I find joy in my Master. I am delighted to live for my Master. I understand my purpose, there is no confusion or misunderstanding on why I am living. I truly understand that I am not my own. Now, I certainly forget many of these things throughout my day to day life, but these are the desires tattooed on my heart. So, I wanted a tattoo on the outside to serve as a reminder of the life I want to live out of gratitude.
