“When Serving Becomes Our Center Focus”

“As Jesus and his disciples went on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha welcomed him in her home. She had a sister named Mary, who sat down at the feet of the Lord and listened to his teaching. Martha was upset over all the work she had to do, so she came and said, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her to come and help me!" The Lord answered her, "Martha, Martha! You are worried and troubled over so many things, but just one is needed. Mary has chosen the right thing, and it will not be taken away from her." ~ Luke 10:38-42 (GNB)

Sooner or later in the life of a Christian, they will realize that serving God in some way is extremely valuable and important. Serving God is what can bring us joy, fascination with the things of God, power spiritually and faith. Serving God can change us from the inside out. God wants us to serve Him in some way and He has given us spiritual gifts for the purpose of serving Him and everyone has at least one gift. (1 Peter 4:10) The Bible tells us that we can actually desire and want spiritual gifts and pray to receive them. (1 Corinthians 12:31) God wants us to serve Him with our whole heart, loving Him, allowing Him to direct our steps and service by His Word, prayer and His Spirit. God blesses those who serve others for His glory and for the purpose of building up His Kingdom (rule) on Earth. God wants us to serve Him in some way, shape or form and there are many ways, just ask how and God will surely reveal that to you.

Martha was a woman, who was serving, but she fell into a trap, serving became a distraction from the purpose of life, to know Jesus. Inwardly, we can seek to serve God and sometimes that serving actually over-rules our inward desire to know God. We can begin to think about doing more for God and miss out on doing what’s important, listening to His Word, gleaning from His Bible and applying the spiritual truths we grab hold of as we do. God knows the tendency of human nature to stray away from Him and even in things that are spiritual and godly we can find ourselves straying from Him. Martha was running around frantically too busy to listen for Jesus. The Bible clearly depicts that Martha loved the Lord Jesus, but she was just distracted. Are you distracted? God knows when we begin to let service overcome our personal and private worship and devotion to Him, we become discontent with our walk with Christ. Inwardly, we can get restless and if our personal relationship with Christ is out of control we will have to try very, very hard to produce fruit. Gods plan is that as we just grow in Christ and naturally the fruit will come, we won’t have to strive to get it done, and God will do it through us. Take an examination of your life today, what’s distracting you from the important thing; studying Gods Word, praying to Him and loving Him for Him and not His things? Your examination reveals your determination to seek God. God Bless!!

Father, in Jesus Name, I come to You and ask for Your blessings over this. Lord, let me seek You first in all things. Father, I admit I am not where I should be, Lord draw me to where You know I should be. Father, may You become the center of my life again and may my service and gifts be an outflow of love because of my personal relationship with You. Lord, produce fruit in my life privately and let it stem into fruit publically. Lord, I lift myself on the altar for You to do Your inward work. Let me see what’s important and show me the distractions that hinder that process in Jesus Name! AMEN!

Picture from www.globible.com