"Go," the LORD said to me, "and lead the people on their way, so that they may enter and possess the land that I swore to their fathers to give them." 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, and to observe the LORD's commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good? Deuteronomy 10:11-13 (NIV)
Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me.” Psalm 50:15
As for me, I will call upon God, and the LORD shall save me. Evening and morning and at noon I will pray, and cry aloud, and He shall hear my voice. He has redeemed my soul in peace from the battle that was against me, for there were many against me. Psalm 55:16-18
“So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.” Then He said to His disciples, “Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; nor about the body, what you will put on. Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing. Luke 12:21-23The Vacation Bible School (VBS) we did last month focused on treasures. We had beautiful gems to earn for memory work, and made treasure boxes and pouches to carry those things we deem precious to us. The children all loved them since all children love treasures.
Throughout the week our stage characters searched for the "heart of a servant." Though it was described as a physical treasure, by the end of the week the team revealed the fact that the true treasure is not physical but spiritual. The children cheered with the bad guy of the story as he accepted Christ. Some even prayed with him! The young lady who had desired to serve without serving found out that she could serve without working at it. When her heart was right, she had the motivation to do for others without second guessing what she would get out of it or how she could get out of it.
The true treasure comes in serving others. When we call upon the Lord and ask Him to reveal His will in our lives, one of the first things we will find is the heart of a servant. I truly do not think you can be a Christian without one. Don’t get me wrong, I did not always have the servant’s heart. Years ago when we did our first Personality Test and Spiritual Gifts Test, I recall I avoided anything that suggested Hospitality. I did not like to help anyone with cleaning or cooking. Somewhere along my walk with Christ, I found a dear friend who needed her house cleaned. Then I found another one or two who needed a meal. My heart desired to serve them, and so I did.
It is funny how God works sometimes. That which we think we do not want to do is often what He has chosen for us, but we do not yet hear the call. Once our ears are matured and we are ready to hear it, then we hear him call to us and we answer Him.
"Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know." Jeremiah 33:3We often have to call to Him and ask Him to show us what to do. Then we have to be willing to go where He sends us. Had I not been seeking, I would not have heard the call to do VBS this summer. Had I not been willing to go where God sent me, I would not have driven to the small town of Burney. God sent me there. Where He goes, I will follow!
When we begin to think our usefulness has been used up, and we wonder what we are here for, our God will supply the next step in our walk. He will supply another thing for us to do. God is so great like that! He knows that we are not done being shaped and molded. He knows how to stretch us so He can use us to serve.
When my friend asked me to come help with her VBS, she did not realize she was asking for so many people to invade her home. Or maybe she did, but either way she made us feel at home. God was there, and she followed His lead. We need to keep our ears and eyes open every day, that God may reveal to us what He has in store for us.
Dear Heavenly Father, open our eyes, that we may see the works you have for us to do for You. Open our ears, Lord, that we may hear Your heart’s cry. In Jesus name, amen.
Suggested reading: Jeremiah 33:1-25, Luke 12:1-59, Psalm 37:1-40, Psalm 50:1-23, Psalm 55:1-23.