Sometimes it is fun to look back and remember the things we taught about in the past, or in this case wrote about. It is educational to remember what I found-In His Word 10-24-05
What
does it mean to serve? What is a servant of the Lord? How do I serve if I don’t
want to wait on people hand and foot? I mean what if I am not cut out to be a
maid? Where can I find out what it means to serve?
Let’s
look- In His Word!
Fear
the LORD your God and serve him. Deuteronomy 10:20
When I first heard that we were to
serve one another I have to be honest I did not like the idea! I grew up
without Bible knowledge of what it really means to serve, and I thought it meant
to be a slave to one another, which would mean I had to wait on everyone else
hand and foot. This does not sound fun! It sounds like work! I don’t want to
pick up someone else’s garbage, I don’t want to clean someone else’s floor! I
hate cleaning toilets so don’t even ask me to go there!
While
I was studying to find out what it means
to be a servant, Charity Church mouse came to remembrance. Charity was from one of those made for kid’s videos
back in the ‘90’s’. She sang a song that we brought to our children’s church
back in the day.
It was called “Make me a Servant”. Her
song went something like this.
Lord, make me a servant,
Humble and meek,
Lord Let me lift up--
Those who are weak…
And may the prayer of my heart
always be----
Make me a servant,
Make me a servant,
Make me…
Your servant….
Today.
If
you think about it, we really have to be humble and meek to serve Him. I also
think we need to be sincere.
S-
Sincere
Just
as Charity did in the video I sought the Lord for more clear direction. In His
Word it tells us about Joshua, and how he was making a covenant with some other
countries’ leaders, and he spoke to them of how to join forces with him meant
joining forces with Him. Joshua was upfront and clear telling them what God
told him to say. He spoke to them revealing that he knew they had served and
worshiped other gods in Egypt and other places but that if they were to join
forces with His people they would need to leave those ones behind. He was the
only God to be served. They had to be honest and sincere in following Him.
"Now
therefore, fear the LORD, serve Him in sincerity and in truth, and put away the
gods which your fathers served on the other side of the River and in Egypt.
Serve the LORD! And if it seems evil to you to serve the LORD, choose for
yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers
served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites,
in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the
LORD." Joshua
24:14-15
E-earnest
Charity also found that in order to serve Him,
she had to be honest. If I serve someone a store-bought cake and claim that I
made it myself they will know the difference. Just as if I said to someone that
I would love to help out, when I did not want to help out, I would not be being
honest. But if I said, “I would rather not, but, if you need the help I will
find someone who will anyway.” Then at
least we are serving with honesty. Sometimes we just don’t know how to do what
is needed. Sometimes it is not our gift to be the Speaker, but we are able to
pray for the person who speaks to the crowd! If you read the Bible you will not
find 12, or 13 Gospels, not everyone was called to write! Some were bringing
food to the widows and helping the orphans. So, we see here that we have to
serve where we are called, and not ignore it when it’s not our calling to do
something.
And it shall be that if you
earnestly obey My commandments which I command you today, to love the LORD your
God and serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul, then I will give
you the rain for your land in its season, the early rain and the latter rain,
that you may gather in your grain, your new wine, and your oil. And I will send
grass in your fields for your livestock, that you may eat and be filled.'
Deuteronomy
11:13-15
R-
Real.
“Keep it real”, as Pastor Vega always says! Don’t try to be a chameleon! God
has many workers because He knows we are many different people with many
different needs. We need to be earnest in obeying what He tells us. Do it
because He has asked you, but don’t try to do your brother or sister’s job too!
Remember it’s not about you! It is not about you getting glory, but it is about
Him getting the glory and honor for the work you do. God looks at your heart, He will know if you
are being honest with yourself about why you are doing something. For instance,
if you are watching your friend’s kids thinking of the money you will be
making, when God encouraged you to watch the kids to bless her, well…your reward
is with you. If you want to know that you pleased your God and have that
overwhelming feeling of love in your heart towards one another, and God
Himself; then you have got to be honest
with yourself. You can’t fake your way through with God. Don’t try to serve yourself in serving
others.
"No servant can serve two
masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be
loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and
mammon." Now the Pharisees, who were
lovers of money, also heard all these things, and they derided Him. And He said
to them, "You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows
your hearts. For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination Luke
16:13-15
Tell all the skilled men to whom I have given wisdom
in such matters that they are to make garments for Aaron, for his consecration,
so he may serve me as priest. Exodus
28:2-4
E-Enough God
knows when you have done enough better than you do. But you need to know when
it is enough. Know when you have worn yourself out and that it is okay to take
a moment of rest. Even God did after creating the world. He rested on the 7th
day. Now we all know that He gives us an example of what we need to behave
like, so if we are working earnestly and really doing what He wants us to do,
then the time will come when we too need to rest.
How
then shall we serve the Lord? With gladness and thanksgiving that is how. Glad
that He chose you to do such a task for the glory and growth of His kingdom.
Thankful that you have been called to serve.
Dear Heavenly Father, create in me a servant’s heart that I might be pleasing
in Your sight. In Jesus Name, amen.
Suggested
Readings for this week;
Monday:
Matthew
6: 24-34
Tuesday: Romans
1:1-17
Wednesday: Romans
12:1-21
Thursday:
Galatians 5:1-26
Friday: Ephesians
6:1-9
Weekend readings:
Revelations 22
***If
for any reason you choose ever not to receive this devotion again please
remember that all it takes is replying with a "Please remove me from this
list." I do ask that if there is a problem with anything I write for you
to feel free to write me back and let me know what the problem was, that we
might go over it together and seek the truth in love.
In
His love,
Teresa
M. Wilson
www.teresawilson.com
Copyright © 2005
by Teresa M. Wilson.
Rom 8:24-25
For we
were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one
still hope for what he sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we
eagerly wait for it with perseverance.
NKJV