She Serves

I feel a little bad that I haven't been posting daily as per my usual. I feel even worse that I haven't visited your blogs in a while.  To say I've been busy is accurate, but I could have carved out a bit more time to at least go read what y'all are saying lately.  And it's quite possible that my blogging may be light this week as well.  Just to give you an idea...

I spent three hours at the dentist's today.  The kids and I all had appointments.  It's okay, though.  I got my lesson prepared for Wednesday's Bible Study.  I've lead Bible studies for several years now.  I enjoy it.  It does require preparation time.  I keep wondering if God will ever relieve me of this task He's called me to.  So far, He's kept me going.  I'd be in Bible study whether I lead it or not, so the extra time required to prep each week is a simple matter.

After taking the kids to lunch, I dropped them at school, ran home to let the dog out, then jumped back into the car and ran up to the church.  It's nice to live close by my church - especially since I spend so much time up there.  It took a while, but I located and loaded up the drum set our new drummer is going to be using.  We're missing a couple of cymbal stands so our music minister tried to help me find those.  Nope. 

Anyway, back home just in time for the youngest to get off the school bus.  Helped with his piano practice, helped with his homework, then I kicked him out the door to ride his bike while I started supper.  Then the daughter came home and I did a repeat to coda.  Coda was me calling them to fold socks (and underwear).  Then Daddy came home.  Supper time.  After supper, I played Wheel of Fortune with the boy child (he whipped me!), and put away the folded...uh, white clothes.

And that's how I served my family, my church and the Lord today. It was a good day.  The drums are still in the back of my SUV.  I'll take them to the studio with me tomorrow when I go rehearse and thus another day of service will begin.

All too often, I hear women pine about how their service to others doesn't seem to make much difference.  And they don't feel it's appreciated..  I watch these women slog through the drudgery of housework, camp in their cars chauffeuring kids hither and yon, grind the cart wheels through the grocery store, wipe snotty noses, kiss icky boo-boos and lose themselves in laundry piles.  On top of all that, they show up for Bible study, help me organize the women's ministry events, teach Sunday School, help decorate the church for Sunday services, do several hours of community outreach ministry each month, and either homeschool or volunteer at their kids' schools.

So, what's the problem?  They're serving, right?  They're serving their families, their church, their communities. Yes.  They're serving all right.  But their service isn't glorifying God, therefore it is not satisfying.  I know.  I did the same thing for years. Sadly, I sometimes still do. 

Here's the difference between service that glorifies God and that which does not:

God's glory is how he reveals Himself.   I've got verses!  (You knew I'd have verses, right?)  In each verse, pay attention to the word Glory as it pertains to God.  (No need to grab the Bible, just point and click.)
2 Chronicles 5:13-14 
Psalm 19:1
Psalm 29:9
Isaiah 42:8
John 1:14
John 2:11
Hebrews 1:3
2 Peter 1:3

God's glory is how He makes Himself recognizeable to us.  Read that last verse again.  Carefully.  Seems to me we are created for God's glory. That can only mean two things:  God wants to make himself recognizable to us and God wants to make himself recognizable through us.  (Thank you, Beth Moore, for teaching me this truth some years back.)

God makes Himself recognizable to each of us in myriad ways.  Sometimes we're self-absorbed and miss it.  Isn't it wonderful when we're walking closely with Him and we catch it?  What joy it brings to be in close relationship with Him and see His glory revealed again and again!  So, be careful little feet where you walk.  Are you walking closely with God - spending time in prayer, in His word, with His children?  Or do you feel distanced from Him for some reason? Not talking with Him much?  Engaged in some behavior you know He's opposed to?  Spending most of your social time with folks who don't care to know Him more?

And how can God be revealed through us?  Through our service, right?  Sometimes, yes.  Back to the aforementioned problem.  When we serve without joy, when we grumble, when we go through the motions, when we're really in it for our own glory, when we are simply serving so others won't think bad of us, when we serve and our hearts aren't in the right place, God's glory is not revealed through our service.  In fact, the only thing that's revealed is a Christian with a bad attitude.  Not good.  Yank the fish off the back of your car, please.

Sometimes it's tough, isn't it?  When you wake up in the morning to face a mountain of laundry and discover a little one wet their bed to add to the pile.  When you go to great lengths to plan  a special meal that takes hours to prepare only to hear grumbles about how they don't like this or that tastes weird.  When you diligently complete the tasks necessary to administer a complex project and receive no recognition whatsoever.   It's tough.  It's really tough when we serve and we receive absolutely no ...glory.

If we examine our hearts carefully, we can all see areas where we'd like a little more glory.  With prayer and some time spent with the Father each day, we can be completely content and satisfied to give Him the glory instead.   And that is from where our blessing and His glory come.  There, my friends, is our Joy. Can we glorify God in everything we say and do?  We can, but not of our own accord.  That's where the Holy Spirit comes in. 

I'd like to challenge you to pay attention to your words (and their tone) and your deeds (along with the accompanying body language) for the next 24 hours as you go about your service to others.  Note when God is glorified through you and when He is not.  Can others see Jesus in you as you serve?  Then the Father is glorified.  Make time to ask Him to draw you closer to Himself so that you can serve others in such a way that He gets the glory each and every time.

Then be blessed!

Comments

[eph2810]

I want to say this: Amen!!!
I have changed my attitude this past year (not sure if you read my post), and since I do even the little things to His glory, things are much easier. I believe truly in my heart that I have done some of the service in church to get praises from men and not to glorify Him. I think that is why my body shut done last year.

Anyway, I think you that we can accomplish much more if we look to Him first to give us the strength to do the things we need to do.

BTW - Beth Moore is one of my favorite Bible teachers :)...

Thank you Carol for your wonderful post on service.

[eph2810]

Correction - He has changed my attitude!

[Carrie]

I'll second that amen. Wow Carol, I really needed that post. What a wonderful lesson! I was gonna say that you are my new idol but then remembered I can't have idols. Oh well, I think you're pretty cool anyway :)

[Kim in IL]

Thanks for this, Carol. I'm glad I read it in the morning.

The phrase, "full of grace and truth" is still resonating in my mind. Christ, our Saviour, full of grace and truth. O, that He might enable us to grasp this! Imagine!--that He would condescend to us and allow us, by His Holy Spirit, to be conformed to His likeness!--the merits of Christ given to us by His Spirit! How can we grumble if we know this to be true? And yet we do. How patient is our Saviour! How diligent He is in helping us "work out our sanctification." We have a Helper. To Him be the glory!

[Jeana]

Hey, Carol, we got ourselves a "Beauty of God's Glory" carnival going on here. That was so good I'm going to come back and read it again AFTER I've had my coffee!

["She" Has a Sister]

Thanks Sis. I needed that.

[Lauren]

Beautiful and important reminder. The reason and attitude with which we serve are critical. When we are truly serving for the Lord's glory and not our own, no matter what the outcome or how others respond, we can still rejoice. Thanks so much for your thoughts on this Carol.

[Jennifer]

Great post, Carol!

[Claire (Pilot Mom)]

I'm a little late to this but what a tremendous post! All we do by our service is really worship. Worship is what we do, day in and day out, and how we present it to the Lord. It helps me as I think about my service that I'm offering it up in worship to my King and my God. Great food for thought throughout your post. Thanks!

[Carol]

Claire, never too late. I was just thinking about your earlier and am glad you stopped by.

Everyone else, thank you and to God be the glory.

[Carmen Rockett]

Thanks for the reminder. I have to keep re-examining my heart and attitudes or the flesh wins!

[Blair]

Amen and Amen! What more can be said? I agree wholeheartedly!