“When our service is not dependent on those around us, but is fully focused on pleasing the Lord, inspiration and vitality are reignited.”
Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – February 5, 2021
By Guest Writer: Jill Hooper
Whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. Mark 10:44-45
Since Jesus came to serve and not be served…
A significant aspect of the Christian life concerns serving others. It can be a fulfilling life. Remember when you landed that new job and you imagined all the ways you could serve others through your work? When you first got married wasn’t there a passionate desire to be the best mate you could be? When kids came along didn’t you serve out of amazement of God’s gift of new life? Then something happened over time and that wonderful opportunity to serve became a wearying obligation of emptiness instead of excitement.
What happened? Over time our focus often changes from “How can I serve?” to “What about me?” That’s when service to others becomes mundane, tiresome, frustrating & lonely. Then the life-giving power of service becomes life-draining. How do we return to that place of energizing service to others?
The key is in Colossians 3:23-24, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.” As we give of ourselves to God, we know this: He sees, even when others do not; He gives us the power to serve, even when others don’t help; He gives us joy in our hearts through Christ when we are tempted to become weary in doing good.
And although we may not receive recompense or recognition for our service here, we gain great reward in heaven. When our service is not dependent on those around us, but is fully focused on pleasing the Lord, inspiration and vitality are reignited.
We begin to see each opportunity to serve as a gift to us, granting us greater enjoyment of our Father. His joy turns our “have to’s” into “get to’s,” our obligations into opportunities, our burdens into blessings and our fatigue into fellowship with the sufferings of Christ.
“Serve THE LORD with gladness” (Psalm 100:2).
Prayer
Father, I choose You today. I choose to focus on You, desire Your pleasure, and walk in Your joy as I serve You, in Jesus’ name, amen.
Application
Today purpose in your heart to seek His delight and change the exhaustion of serving others into the enthusiasm of serving Him. Your relationship with Him and others will change for the better.
Related Reading
Mark 10:45, Galatians 5:13, Hebrews 6:10
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