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Day 3: Serving
Scripture:
Luke 19:15-23 NLT
““After he was crowned king, he returned and called in the servants to whom he had given the money. He wanted to find out what their profits were. The first servant reported, ‘Master, I invested your money and made ten times the original amount!’ “‘Well done!’ the king exclaimed. ‘You are a good servant. You have been faithful with the little I entrusted to you, so you will be governor of ten cities as your reward.’ “The next servant reported, ‘Master, I invested your money and made five times the original amount.’ “‘Well done!’ the king said. ‘You will be governor over five cities.’ “But the third servant brought back only the original amount of money and said, ‘Master, I hid your money and kept it safe. I was afraid because you are a hard man to deal with, taking what isn’t yours and harvesting crops you didn’t plant.’ “‘You wicked servant!’ the king roared. ‘Your own words condemn you. If you knew that I’m a hard man who takes what isn’t mine and harvests crops I didn’t plant, why didn’t you deposit my money in the bank? At least I could have gotten some interest on it.’”
The day and age that we live in, people are more focused on “serving looks” to people, rather than actually serving people.
The ability to serve people is a heart thing. It is also the very opposite of what culture is at the moment. We are living in a very self-serving generation.
People do things for “number 1”, being themselves.
So we know how to serve. We just don’t serve those God requires us to serve. God gets the glory when we serve well. He is pleased when we use what He has given us for the benefit of people and for His glory. We experience abundant blessings when we please the Father in this way.
We serve God by serving others around us. The heart of a true servant is not on what they will get in return, but on simply pleasing their master.
You are a servant/slave. The question is, who are you serving and who is your master?
“But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Matthew 20:26-28 NLT
Anna mentions that she realized that she was actually living for herself. Yes she got to the point of serving at church after she was born again (in fact, she became born again so that she could sing in the youth choir – it was a prerequisite), however, the heart and intention behind it was totally wrong.
Serving God has formed new meaning in Anna’s life. How did this come about?
Practical tips from Anna:
I realized I wasn’t the only one with this problem, of thinking I’m serving God but in reality people do it for the wrong reasons! I know stories of people who join the choir or the ushering department to be seen.
To truly serve God! It’s to serve with your body, soul and spirit, wholeheartedly, without any vague or worldly reasons behind it.
- First it’s to realize you are not doing it for God, but doing it for yourself!
- Then it’s to repent and ask for forgiveness.
- Pray for the heart of service, serving can be anything from doing active serving at church, to after church to even in your personal life!
Remember Jesus served! Behind His serving, was compassion, love, patience!
If you serving doesn’t have all that, then you are doing it for the wrong reasons!
Prayer:
Almighty Father, we thank You for Your great salvation plan for mankind and Your beloved Son, Lord Jesus Christ, who came into this world as a living sacrifice. In all His time on earth, He laid His life upon Your will, and loved and served the world. We pray Father, that we become great examples of our Lord Jesus. May we love and serve those around us who need our services and offerings of love.
Lord Jesus Christ, we praise You and we glorify You. We give You thanks for Your great Love. We praise You, for You came to fulfill the Father’s will.
In Your great love, You saved us from sin and condemnation, and we thank You for this.
Amen and amen
