I wanted to share my devotion with you this morning because it really struck a chord with me (from the Women’s Devotional Bible, pg. 1071).
Mark 1:29-34
“As soon as they left the synagogue, they went with James and John to the home of Simon and Andrew. Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they told Jesus about her. So he went to her, took her hand and helped her up. The fever left her and she began to wait on them. That evening after sunset the people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed. The whole town gathered at the door, and Jesus healed many who had various diseases. He also drove out many demons, but he would not let the demons speak because they knew who he was.”
Jill Briscoe writes,
Mark 1:29-34
“As soon as they left the synagogue, they went with James and John to the home of Simon and Andrew. Simon’s mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they told Jesus about her. So he went to her, took her hand and helped her up. The fever left her and she began to wait on them. That evening after sunset the people brought to Jesus all the sick and demon-possessed. The whole town gathered at the door, and Jesus healed many who had various diseases. He also drove out many demons, but he would not let the demons speak because they knew who he was.”
Jill Briscoe writes,
“When you have a heart for God you have a heart for ministry. The two go hand in hand. When Jesus captured a life, healed a sick body or soul or mind, the recipient of those blessings invariably began to minister. Only on two occasions did Jesus have to tell them to do so. When Jairus’s daughter was brought back from the dead, Jesus told her parents to ‘give her something to eat’ (Mark 5:43), and when the Lord appeared first to Mary Magdalene after his resurrection, he told her to go tell the disciples that she had seen the Lord (John 20:17-18).
When you meet the Master, ministry naturally follows. Jesus forgave a sinful woman ‘her many sins,’ and she began to love him much (Luke 7:47). Having been forgiven much you begin to love much, and ministry is the natural outcome.
Martha and Mary, greatly loved by Jesus, loved him back by serving him, each in her own way. The mother of the disciple James, along with others served the Lord by preparing his body for burial (Luke 24:10), while Joanna supported Jesus out of her own means (Luke 8:3). Even the woman at the well, having met Jesus, began at once to share her discovery with the people in her town (John 4:28-29).
You do not need to twist arms once you have had a personal encounter with the Christ of Galilee. Ministry is not then a maybe – it’s a must.”
How many times do I find an excuse not to participate in ministry? How many times am I talked in to helping instead of simply volunteering? Shouldn’t I desire to give everything back to God because of the grace and mercy and love and sacrifice He has given me? Wow – my selfishness revealed. And it isn’t just ministry at the church that I shrink back from… I know that I have failed to be the wife I need to be because I am tired or want some “me” time or something else. I let something else entertain my son so I can take a few moments for me to email or check a blog. I don’t make that phone call to the friend who’s struggling because I think I don’t have the time or the words. I fail to reach out to the friend who’s on bed rest and going a bit stir crazy. And the list goes on… Shouldn’t I desire to give until my body wears out? What evidence of how the world has infiltrated the body of Christ. We are prone to think about ourselves and our needs and wants and schedules before those around us. What does that say about our hearts? I think it says we are not filled with God, but with ourselves. If we were to get real, we would have to admit that our hearts are more for our well-being than for loving and praising our Father and Savior. I know I am guilty.
Father, change my heart. I am a selfish creature in my flesh, but I am a new creation in You. Refine my heart and attitude to desire to serve You every moment of every day. Show me how You want me to serve and minister. Change the heart of the church so Your name may be glorified when others wonder why we are so different. May our hearts be so filled with You that ministry becomes a must.
How many times do I find an excuse not to participate in ministry? How many times am I talked in to helping instead of simply volunteering? Shouldn’t I desire to give everything back to God because of the grace and mercy and love and sacrifice He has given me? Wow – my selfishness revealed. And it isn’t just ministry at the church that I shrink back from… I know that I have failed to be the wife I need to be because I am tired or want some “me” time or something else. I let something else entertain my son so I can take a few moments for me to email or check a blog. I don’t make that phone call to the friend who’s struggling because I think I don’t have the time or the words. I fail to reach out to the friend who’s on bed rest and going a bit stir crazy. And the list goes on… Shouldn’t I desire to give until my body wears out? What evidence of how the world has infiltrated the body of Christ. We are prone to think about ourselves and our needs and wants and schedules before those around us. What does that say about our hearts? I think it says we are not filled with God, but with ourselves. If we were to get real, we would have to admit that our hearts are more for our well-being than for loving and praising our Father and Savior. I know I am guilty.
Father, change my heart. I am a selfish creature in my flesh, but I am a new creation in You. Refine my heart and attitude to desire to serve You every moment of every day. Show me how You want me to serve and minister. Change the heart of the church so Your name may be glorified when others wonder why we are so different. May our hearts be so filled with You that ministry becomes a must.
No comments:
Post a Comment