Tag: Servant

All Service From the Heart

How often is it that we take on tasks and just work to complete them without a clear motivation or purpose? I believe this is the case a good amount of the time. The thing is this is not the proper way to approach things according to God’s Word.

“5Bondservants, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ, 6not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, 7rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man, 8knowing that whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether he is a bondservant or is free. 9Masters, do the same to them, and stop your threatening, knowing that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and that there is no partiality with him.” – Ephesians 6:5-9 (ESV)

In the above passage we find Paul’s instruction to the church at Ephesus as relates to those serving others and those they are serving. We find that regardless of the position we are in, whether bondservant or master, we are to approach the work from the heart as we would in our service of the LORD.

I have studied this passage a number of times and each time the learning for me is about the service itself and that we are picked for the service where we are and that work is God centered. But this morning I see the work is to be both of those things and yet it comes from the heart. I am to commit to the work for the my LORD and savior as well as my earthly master in the same way, from the heart and fully devout to that work. Even as the earthly master, we are to commit the work from the heart and for the glory of the LORD and not for our own reward.

I think that too often we look at “work” in the world as that thing that is to be done, and not really enjoyed, when according to the Word of God, we are to do the work from the heart with the same intensity that we do work for the LORD. We are to devote to the work from our heart regardless of who that work is for in the moment.

I know that when I am focused of doing work, I find that time moves quickly and when I reach the end, there is a sense of satisfaction with the work. All to say that when I am concerned with who assigned the work or what is in it for others and carry animosity for the work, it seems that time stands still and the work never ends.

The approach we should have is one of doing the work from our heart to ultimately bring glory to God. Yes, we do have to engage in actions that positively impact others and less so for ourselves. But, those actions, when conducted from the heart are a gift to others and will be rewarded in heaven as we are recognized as good and faithful servants of the LORD.

Where does your attitude for work come from? Are you doing the work with animosity and anger as others seem to benefit from it? What if you approached the work with love from the heart knowing that your reward is coming in our forever home, heaven?

The LORD is with Me Just as He was with Those Before Me

This morning I am reminded that the LORD is with me. Not just with me, but with me as He was with those that came before me. I am take back to the night that 3 men of the church came to the home of Lori and I. We sat in the living room talking and they conducted an interview of Lori and me for the role of deacon of the church. These men were deacons themselves and, of age, they were of a generation before me. Lori and I were taken aback at the thought of us being deacons for the church. We were not of a “right old age”. We did not see ourselves as spectacularly known members of the community. We were ordinary children of God doing the work He had for us when it was presented to us. But God had a plan for us.

“5No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you.” – Joshua 1:5 (ESV)

You see, God would be with us as He was with those who came to our home. God knew the status of our heart and that we were ready to begin His work in the church. And He knew that we were mature in Him even when we did not know it ourselves. He had prepared us for this time and was with us the whole time. The deacons before us were wise and tested. They were, in some cases the same men from when I was a bed baby in the church. I had learned from them and had demonstrated to them through my actions, that I and we were servants of the LORD. We were not doing so for our own gain, but for the good of the church.

The LORD was using Lori and I in ways that we were not even aware at the time. So the LORD made it so that we would be leaders in role and not just action for Him. He brought us to the role He had for us and at the time when was good for He, the church, and us. The LORD would be with us from before that time, during that time, and into today.

As for today, the LORD is still with us. Lori is the reliable servant in the children’s department at our church. I am now the generation before those in my discipleship group. We are those of before, demonstrating the LORD being with that the LORD will be with those who come after us.

It is quite something to see and experience that Lori and I are now those who are preparing those who come after us. Where I do not see us as being the mature brother and sister in Christ, I do see where those that come after us will look to us for guidance as they grow in Christ themselves. It is now our role to let them know that the LORD will be with them just as He is with us.

What are your thoughts on your station in the LORD? Are you wondering if the LORD is or will be with you? What if you took it upon you that the LORD will be with you just as He is/was with those that came before you?