29 January 2014 “Servingly Serve”
Mark 9:35
He sat down, called the twelve disciples over to him, and said, “Whoever wants to be first must take last place and be the servant of everyone else.”
In human society important people have less important people do things for them. But in God’s economy it’s the other way around.
Jesus’ life is the perfect example of what God has in mind. He servingly served others constantly while at the same time being the most powerful, influential, awesome, important person on the planet! He didn’t tell his disciples to do something he wasn’t doing himself.
The Apostle Paul also leaves a good example of a servant for us to follow. His purpose for serving was to show us this: And I have been a constant example of how you can help those in need by working hard. You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ Acts 20:35
My husband is a good example of God’s kind of servant too, and I am so thankful! He is very busy at his job but still calls me during the day to see if there’s anything he can do for me or pick up on his way home. When he gets home he checks on each kid and sees how their day was and finds out if there’s anything they need. Once a week he does the yard work at our church facility and then comes home and does the yard work on our massive backyard. He’s always done all the work himself sweatily and cheerfully. He helps with the dinner dishes and starts the youngest’s bath at night. He reads to our kids at night even when he’s dog tired. He researches what our kids are interested in so he can talk to them about what they like. He doesn’t come home, claim a chair and sit in it to be waited on even though he has absolutely every right to do just that, in my opinion. That’s a servant.
It’s not easy being the servant of everyone else, but it pleases God. And our desire as Believers is to please God, indeed. So, to please God and live like Jesus, I ask God to help me follow the advice I’ve heard my husband tell other husbands in counseling before:
Serve your family, and when you get tired; serve some more.
Galatians 5:13 says, For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love.
I know serving others isn’t what saves me or makes God like me better, but it is the natural antidote for my selfish behavior. Putting other’s needs above my own accomplishes unselfishness in my heart, the outward result happens to be serving others, and the spiritual benefit is pleasing God.
Dear God,
Thank you for giving me regular examples as well as Jesus’ ultimate example of being a servant. Help me to lovingly incorporate this mindset into my life. My desire is to please you more than to demand my rights. Help me to put other people’s needs above my own and to not be selfish. Help me help others willingly and gladly because I know that pleases you too. I love you and thank you for this time together this morning. Amen.
Mark 9:35
He sat down, called the twelve disciples over to him, and said, “Whoever wants to be first must take last place and be the servant of everyone else.”
In human society important people have less important people do things for them. But in God’s economy it’s the other way around.
Jesus’ life is the perfect example of what God has in mind. He servingly served others constantly while at the same time being the most powerful, influential, awesome, important person on the planet! He didn’t tell his disciples to do something he wasn’t doing himself.
The Apostle Paul also leaves a good example of a servant for us to follow. His purpose for serving was to show us this: And I have been a constant example of how you can help those in need by working hard. You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ Acts 20:35
My husband is a good example of God’s kind of servant too, and I am so thankful! He is very busy at his job but still calls me during the day to see if there’s anything he can do for me or pick up on his way home. When he gets home he checks on each kid and sees how their day was and finds out if there’s anything they need. Once a week he does the yard work at our church facility and then comes home and does the yard work on our massive backyard. He’s always done all the work himself sweatily and cheerfully. He helps with the dinner dishes and starts the youngest’s bath at night. He reads to our kids at night even when he’s dog tired. He researches what our kids are interested in so he can talk to them about what they like. He doesn’t come home, claim a chair and sit in it to be waited on even though he has absolutely every right to do just that, in my opinion. That’s a servant.
It’s not easy being the servant of everyone else, but it pleases God. And our desire as Believers is to please God, indeed. So, to please God and live like Jesus, I ask God to help me follow the advice I’ve heard my husband tell other husbands in counseling before:
Serve your family, and when you get tired; serve some more.
Galatians 5:13 says, For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love.
I know serving others isn’t what saves me or makes God like me better, but it is the natural antidote for my selfish behavior. Putting other’s needs above my own accomplishes unselfishness in my heart, the outward result happens to be serving others, and the spiritual benefit is pleasing God.
Dear God,
Thank you for giving me regular examples as well as Jesus’ ultimate example of being a servant. Help me to lovingly incorporate this mindset into my life. My desire is to please you more than to demand my rights. Help me to put other people’s needs above my own and to not be selfish. Help me help others willingly and gladly because I know that pleases you too. I love you and thank you for this time together this morning. Amen.
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