"I Choose The Awl"

Many years ago when I was a new Christian I came across these verses in Exodus 21:1-6 and Deuteronomy 15:12-18. Both have similar statements and instructions. "But if the servant plainly says, 'I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free.' then his master shall bring him to the judges. He shall also bring him to the door, or to the doorpost, and his master shall pierce his ear with an awl; and he shall serve him forever. Exodus 21;5-6 and "And if it happens that he says to you, 'I will not go away from you,' because he loves you and your house, since he prospers with you, 'then you shall take an awl and thrust it through his ear to the door, and he shall be your servant forever. Also to your maidservants you shall do likewise.' Deuteronomy 15:16-17. 

I remember, they amazed me because of the awl through the ear thing. At the time, I didn't know what an awl was and had to look it up. I saw the picture and I was a little horrified at the idea of having an awl put through my ear. It would have to hurt!

I remember asking my dad if he had one and he said, "Yes." He went rummaging through his tools and brought three back to show to me. The first one was a short fat handled one with a very sharp point and a narrow needle like spike. The second had a longer handle and the sharp point but the spike part was much thicker and the third one was another small round handle, a very sharp point but it had a long skinny spike to it. He asked why and I explained that I had found these verse in the Bible that talked about a servant who would choose to stay a servant instead of going free and that if he made that choice they would put him against a doorpost, take an awl and pierce through his ear with it as a sign that he chose to be a bond servant.

Holding that awl in my hand, knowing that it was used because the man or woman was making a choice to stay a servant rather than to go free had a huge impact on my baby Christian heart. Free in these verses means; exempt (from bondage, tax or care) and it comes from a root word that means to spread loose, fig to manumit. (had to look up - it means - The act of liberating a slave from bondage and giving him freedom. Emancipation) Can you imagine refusing to "spread loose," and to be exempt from being subject to the whims and wishes of your master and instead, because you love them you choose to stay a servant to them all of your days. Instead, because of love, you choose to be marked with an awl as a bond servant to them.

I remember that this idea of becoming a bond servant, despite the awl thing, stirred and inspired my baby christian zeal and passion to declare to Him that I wanted nothing less! That I desired to serve Him all my days!

Every so often I return to these verses to remember. To remember the vow of my heart's cry, and to remember what the doorpost and the awl stand for in my life; my choice to serve my Lord and King, forever!

I'm not sure if my baby Christian heart really understood the depth of, or rather the level of commitment that that hearts cry might entail, but here now today, 34 years later, I do, and it is still my heart to be a bond servant for the Lord Jesus Christ!

I know exactly what the Psalmist meant when he wrote: For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand elsewhere. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God then dwell in the tents of wickedness. For the Lord God is a sun and shield; The Lord will give grace and glory; No good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly. O Lord of Hosts, Blessed is the man who trusts in You! Psalm 84:10-12 

If it meant going out from His presence I would choose the awl and give Him my all!