May 30, 2008
Does
serving God ever seem to be a burden? Do you wonder why you bother sometimes?
Sometimes, serving seems to be more work than it is worth.
It’s
not supposed to be that way. There are times of trial and testing in every
ministry, large or small, but if it is always a burden, something is wrong.
To
explain, let me take you to a couple of places in Scripture:
Since
the death and resurrection of Jesus, believers no longer need the Jewish
priesthood to intervene on our behalf. Believers are called to be a
kingdom of priests.
But
you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging
to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness
into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people
of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
1 Peter 2:9-10 NIV
Perhaps
you’re thinking, "Great, so now we’re priests, more work. Just what we
don’t need, another burden."
Serving
God was never meant to be a burden. God gave the opportunity to serve as priests
as a gift.
But
only you and your sons may serve as priests in connection with everything at the
altar and inside the curtain. I am giving you the service of the priesthood as a
gift. Numbers 18:7a NIV
How
can service be a gift? It’s simple, when you love someone; you want to give to
him or her. Yet what can we give to a God who created us and owns everything? We
return His love by serving. The fact that He has given us a way to show our love
is a blessing.
It’s
like parents giving a young child a couple of dollars to buy a Christmas gift
for the parent. Yes the parent really paid for their own gift, but the child is
delighted to give and the parents are delighted to receive.
If
your serving is a burden, it’s time to examine why you are serving. Are you
serving out of obligation not love? Are you serving to get the admiration of
other people?
Maybe
your ego gets in the way. You want to serve in a more "prestigious"
spot and have forgotten that there is no such thing as an unimportant ministry
role. The person who cuts the church grass is needed just as much as the elders
or pastor. The person who sits and listens to a lonely shut-in is as important
as the big name evangelist.
Perhaps
you are serving for the right reasons, but are serving in the wrong spot. Ask
Him to guide you to where He wants you to serve.
There
is a spot that He has prepared just for you to serve, a true gift from God. If
you haven’t found it yet, don’t give up, keep looking, it is there for you.
Until
next time, may everything you do in His name bless both you and God.
God
bless.