Serving the Lord

Service includes all the ways in which we act in love toward the Lord and others. If done out of love, service to others is service to the Lord (Matthew 25:35-40.) If service to God and others is not done out of love, it is as a noisy gong or clanging symbol (1 Corinthians 13:1.)

 Examples of service

·      Praising the Lord in all providences. ^“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 1 Thessalonians 5:18

·     Praying for ourselves and others with requests being made according to the Lord’s will

·      Regularly studying God’s Word. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God (Romans 10:17.) Our faith grows as we continue to feed off of God’s word. By grace through faith we are saved, and grow in sanctification (becoming more like Christ.) God’s word is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path (Psalm 119:105.)

·      Raising children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord (Ephesians 6:4.)

·      Participating in corporate worship and fellowship with the saints (Hebrews 10:25.)

·     Meeting the needs of others in tasks that we may not enjoy in and of themselves but doing them cheerfully with joy in the Lord. Examples include: cleaning the church bathroom, doing dishes after a fellowship meal, tiding up after a child, rebuking a brother or sister, etc. The Lord joyfully took on the unpleasant task of washing the disciple’s feet, a task reserved for the lowest servants. Humbling himself even lower than that, he died for us paying the penalty for our sin and meeting our greatest need.  We are to serve others like our Savior serves us (John 13:1-7, Philippians 2:7-8.)

·      Doing our vocational work as unto the Lord (Ephesians 6:6-7)

·      Giving to the church

·      Living a life that testifies of God’s goodness and testifying with our mouth, the good news of the Gospel (Matthew 5:16)

·      Secret acts of service: If possible, is preferable to keep acts of service secret. For example, we are not to tell others of our giving habits- time, money, or resources (Matthew 6:3-4.) Even if our service is somewhat visible, we can guard against publicizing all that we do. For example, the work of deacons in the church is often kept under the radar. We know that deacons humbly serve the Lord, we do not know all the specifics acts of service they do.

·     Visible acts of service: Some acts of service cannot be done in secret. Many ministries are public. Examples include: playing an instrument in church as an act of worship, being a parent, teaching others in some format (pastor, Bible study leader, etc.)

Suggestions for Service and Fighting Temptations That Arise

·      Guard against pride and self-glory. This includes voluntary humility which is a form of pride. “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.” 2 Corinthians 10:17

·     Allow enough time to rest physically and spend sufficient time with the Lord in prayer and Bible study. As mentioned in the previous section, this too is service to the Lord. The Lord gives his beloved sleep (Psalm 127:2) He also gives us rest from our daily labors on the Lord’s Day.

·      Realize we cannot meet every need that comes up but trust in the Lord’s provision through his church.

·     Trust in God’s grace and rely on his strength. We cannot serve him by our own will and abilities. He makes us able and willing.

·     Be content with the gifts the Lord has given us and whatever form of service we are called to, rather than envying the gifts of others. “If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body.  And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” that would not make it any less a part of the body.  If the whole body were an eye, where would be the sense of hearing? If the whole body were an ear, where would be the sense of smell?  But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be?  As it is, there are many parts, yet one body.” 1 Corinthians 12:15-20

·      Let us not weary in well doing (Galatians 6:9.)  I can struggle sometimes with doing a blog post, then in the daily moments of life, not carrying out a servant attitude. It can be tempting to put time into a project or two, and then neglect to serve in the little things. God gave us everything in Christ. We are called to love him with our whole heart, mind and, soul (Matthew 22:37.)

Also at times, we can desire to move on to our heavenly country as we tire of service. As believers, we naturally yearn for the day faith becomes sight. But we should be content to serve the Lord until he calls us home as was the case of Paul in Philippians 1:23-26, ^“ I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better.  But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account. Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith, so that in me you may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus, because of my coming to you again.”

Elijah and Jonah both tired of serving the Lord.  In the case of Jonah, rather than glorifying God’s work in the Ninevites, Jonah was dissatisfied with God’s grace toward them and wished to die.  He was also dissatisfied with serving the Lord as his comforts diminished when a gourd that provided him shelter was destroyed; he again stated that he wished to die. Jonah was not praising the Lord in all circumstances, rather he was grumbling and wished for the escape of death (Jonah 4.)

We see in 1 Kings 19, that Elijah also wearied in well doing. “But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers.  And as he lay and slept under a juniper tree, behold, then an angel touched him, and said unto him, Arise and eat. And he looked, and, behold, there was a cake baken on the coals, and a cruse of water at his head. And he did eat and drink, and laid him down again. And the angel of the Lord came again the second time, and touched him, and said, Arise and eat; because the journey is too great for thee.” 1 Kings 19:4-7

             I have included part of Matthew Henry’s commentary on 1 Kings 19 below.

He pleads, "It is enough. I have done enough, and suffered enough. I am weary of living.’’ Those that have secured a happiness in the other world will soon have enough of this world. He pleads, "I am not better than my fathers, not better able to bear those fatigues, and therefore why should I be longer burdened with them than they were?’’ But is this that my lord Elijah? Can that great and gallant spirit shrink thus? God thus left him to himself, to show that when he was bold and strong it was in the Lord and the power of his might, but of himself he was no better than his fathers or brethren. 6. God, by an angel, fed him in that wilderness, into the wants and perils of which he had wilfully thrown himself, and in which, if God had not graciously succoured him, he would have perished. How much better does God deal with his froward children than they deserve! Elijah, in a pet, wished to die; God needed him not, yet he designed further to employ and honour him, and therefore sent an angel to keep him alive.Our case would be bad sometimes if God should take us at our word and grant us our foolish passionate requests. Having prayed that he might die, he laid down and slept (v. 5), wishing it may be to die in his sleep, and not to awake again; but he is awakened out of his sleep, and finds himself not only well provided for with bread and water (v. 6), but, which was more, attended by an angel, who guarded him when he slept, and twice called him to his food when it was ready for him, v. 5, v. 7. He needed not to complain of the unkindness of men when it was thus made up by the ministration of angels. Thus provided for, he had reason to think he had fared better than the prophets of the groves that did eat at Jezebel’s table. Wherever God’s children are, as they are still upon their Father’s ground, so they are still under their Father’s eye and care. They may lose themselves in a wilderness, but God has not lost them; there they may look at him that lives and sees them, as Hagar, Gen. 16:13 

"In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” Acts 20:35
 

"For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them." Ephesians 2:10

"But they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint." Isaiah 40:31

In closing, here is a brief poem I wrote in a recent struggle with weariness. I am thankful for the sustaining grace of the Lord, which allows me to continue serving him as I walk through this world toward home.

O so weakly walking. Can I go on?

Faint and discouraged, weary and worn

My only hope is strength from the Vine.

Filled with grace and growing in love

One foot ahead of the next, I’ll go on

Walking in steps ordained before time