As Simple As 1-2-3 (Psalm 123)

I lift my eyes to you, O God, enthroned in heaven. We keep looking to the LORD our God for his mercy, just as servants keep their eyes on their master, as a slave girl watches her mistress for the slightest signal. Have mercy on us, LORD, have mercy, for we have had our fill of contempt. We have had more than our fill of the scoffing of the proud and the contempt of the arrogant. [Psalm 123] 

Psalm 123 could very well be a mantra for every person who wishes to live free from idols.

While most "Christians" would say they look to God (I will life my eyes to You, O God...), they don't really do it to the extent verse 2 describes, as servants keep their eyes on their master, as a slave girl watches her mistress for the slightest signal.

If a servant is watching his or her master for the "slightest signal," there is simply no way that servant can look away to anything or anyone else for even a moment. To look to God alone for wealth, protection, health and knowledge necessarily means a person cannot look anywhere else for those blessings.

But, "looking for blessings" doesn't really describe Psalm 123's message, does it? No, the servant does not keep looking to the master to get blessings, but to give service. Lifting our eyes to God alone is not about what we get from God (although that is promised), but what we give to Him. The "faithful" servant knows that the master will take care of everything they need, but that is not why they keep their eyes on the master!

Now, there are those who would have us believe that Jesus Christ changed the master/servant scenario for modern believers, but that is simply not true. Jesus said this:

“No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money. “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? “And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith? “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. [Matthew 6.24-33]

We should consider the point of Matthew 6 and Psalm 123 when we literally "pay" homage to debt, insurance, medicine and technology. IF they were indeed "gifts from God" as so many falsely believe AND we are God's servants, then WHY do we have to PAY FOR THEM?

Debt, insurance, medicine and technology all take our eyes off our master. Jesus further described the master/servant relationship decrying self-focus by the servant.

The apostles said to the Lord, “Show us how to increase our faith.” The Lord answered, “If you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘May you be uprooted and be planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you! “When a servant comes in from plowing or taking care of sheep, does his master say, ‘Come in and eat with me’? No, he says, ‘Prepare my meal, put on your apron, and serve me while I eat. Then you can eat later.’ And does the master thank the servant for doing what he was told to do? Of course not. In the same way, when you obey me you should say, ‘We are unworthy servants who have simply done our duty.’” [Luke 17.5-10]

Is it not crystal clear that debt, insurance, medicine and technology all unashamedly play on and market to our impatient desire to care for ourselves? The disciples in Luke 17 were wanting more faith, but why? Unremarkably, the disciples' request for increased faith came as a "change of subject" in Luke 17 - as if out of nowhere. Jesus was talking about giving forgiveness and then the disciples asked to get more faith... And then, Jesus "nails them" with Luke 17.6-10. Does Jesus not again make it unmistakably clear that our duty is to serve God without even a thought for ourselves? The servant's needs are indeed met, Then you can eat later, but that is not the point, is it? Of course not!

As Jesus' time on earth was not to enjoy the benefits of being the very Son of God, but to dutifully serve God for an explicit purpose, so, our time on earth is not about enjoying being sons of God, but to dutifully serve God for an explicit purpose as Jesus did! We are promised an eternity of enjoying the benefits of serving God, but now is not that time. In fact, our needs are none of our concern at this time! God said He would take care of us if we serve Him.

Is God a liar?

Don't we effectively call God a liar when we go so far as to pay for debt, insurance, medicine and technology when God said He would provide for all our needs? Why would we take our earnings from work (among the things we do in service to God) and then spend it on benefits God said He would provide as part of our serving Him?

This talk will be maddening to some, and understandably so. Unironically, Psalm 123 describes it perfectly:

Have mercy on us, LORD, have mercy, for we have had our fill of contempt. We have had more than our fill of the scoffing of the proud and the contempt of the arrogant. [Psalm 123.3-4]

The contempt we experience is revealed in the proud temper tantrums thrown by idols ignored and idol worshipers implicated by the faithful servant whose eyes are ONLY on the Master.

It's as simple as 1-2-3... Psalm 123.

Father, once again, Your Word proves that debt, insurance, medicine and technology all serve their own purposes and relentlessly attempt to get Your faithful servants to take their eyes off You and do likewise. Open our eyes to the truth of Your Word and the danger of taking our eyes off You for even a moment to look upon anything else - particularly as it solicits our earnings to do for us what You said You would do. So be it.