The following four sentences came from the little book, "On Being a Servant of God", by Warren W. Wiersbe. I want to share what this author has to say about serving the Lord.
"1. Never take down a fence until you know why it was put up.
2. If you get too far ahead of the army, your soldiers may mistake you for the enemy.
3. Don't complain about the bottom rungs of the ladder; they helped to get you higher.
4. If you want to enjoy the rainbow, be prepared to endure the storm."
He wrote his own list after reading another list from American historian Charles A. Beard's summarization of the lessons of history. He says that he sums it up in four sentences:
"1. Whom the gods would destroy, they first make mad with power; 2. The mills of God grind slowly, but they grind exceeding small; 3. the bee fertilizes the flower it robs; 4. When it is dark enough, you can see the stars."
May 30, 2005
A Lesson in Semantics
"My Sunday school teacher brought a new idea about worship to me today. Like I started this blog with what I considered to be synonyms, Sunday and Church; he said that Worship and Service were synonyms. That was a new concept for me." (From my blog on Sunday, May 22, 2005.)
The reason I was perplexed with the idea of worship and service being synonyms was because I thought of service as part of the larger whole I saw as worship. After some consideration and reading I see my view was very narrow. I hope this rather long blog isn't too preachy, but I couldn't make it shorter.
My friend, Chad, left a powerful scripture reading for me to consider. In Isaiah 58:3-14, we read about a nation that seems to do what is right and not forsake the commands of God. But God is telling them that all of their fasting is ending in quarreling and strife. He asks them how can they expect their voices to be heard? God tells them to share food with the hungry, provide shelter for the poor, and clothe the naked and to not turn away from their own flesh and blood.
That is certainly service to God isn't it? If God is the one telling them what they (we) are supposed to do then it must be God's will.
Romans 12:1 "…I urge you, brothers in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship."
Deb, another friend of mine, thinks of sacrifice when she thinks of service. Certainly Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice in his act of worship to the will of God.
"My food," said Jesus, "is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work." (John 4:34)
In John 6:47 Jesus says, "I tell you the truth, he who believes has everlasting life. I am the bread of life." Bread is fuel for my body. If someone gives me fuel, I will be grateful. I will thank him all the more if I am starving. My thankful appreciation to the Provider is my worship. In the Isaiah scripture we are told to feed the hungry…my service…Jesus feeds me…His service. To imitate someone is to revere them. I revere and worship my Lord who is my example. John 13: 15 Jesus says to his disciples, "I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you."
I confess that my service, which is my worship, is lacking. I have often identified with the man in Mark that wanted to know what he had to do to inherit eternal life. Jesus, in his ever-patient manner, first assured the young man that no one was good except God alone. (Mark 10:18) Then the next verse tells us that Jesus looked at him and loved him. (vs. 21) I like to believe that Jesus will look at me that way…with love. Then when the man heard what Jesus wanted him to do…sell all he had, give to the poor and to follow Him…the man went away sad because he had great wealth. I really like the next part of that story that gives me hope. Jesus watched the "Rich Young Man," as my Bible called him, walk away and he said, "How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!" (vs. 23) You may be asking how I get hope out of that? I have to notice that Jesus didn't say it was impossible, just hard.
My service to God is hard. I have great wealth on so many levels. It's hard to give up my time, my vices, and my energy just to do something "good". But I have to because it is the will of God that I do. I'd like to think that the even though it might have taken the rich young man years to come around, that he eventually sold his things, gave to the poor and then went around telling people about the Jesus that looked at him with love.
Worship and service…yes they are synonyms. I serve God because he is worthy. I worship Him because He is worthy. Philippians 2:13 says, "…for it is God who works in you (me) to will and to act according to his good purpose."
The reason I was perplexed with the idea of worship and service being synonyms was because I thought of service as part of the larger whole I saw as worship. After some consideration and reading I see my view was very narrow. I hope this rather long blog isn't too preachy, but I couldn't make it shorter.
My friend, Chad, left a powerful scripture reading for me to consider. In Isaiah 58:3-14, we read about a nation that seems to do what is right and not forsake the commands of God. But God is telling them that all of their fasting is ending in quarreling and strife. He asks them how can they expect their voices to be heard? God tells them to share food with the hungry, provide shelter for the poor, and clothe the naked and to not turn away from their own flesh and blood.
That is certainly service to God isn't it? If God is the one telling them what they (we) are supposed to do then it must be God's will.
Romans 12:1 "…I urge you, brothers in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship."
Deb, another friend of mine, thinks of sacrifice when she thinks of service. Certainly Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice in his act of worship to the will of God.
"My food," said Jesus, "is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work." (John 4:34)
In John 6:47 Jesus says, "I tell you the truth, he who believes has everlasting life. I am the bread of life." Bread is fuel for my body. If someone gives me fuel, I will be grateful. I will thank him all the more if I am starving. My thankful appreciation to the Provider is my worship. In the Isaiah scripture we are told to feed the hungry…my service…Jesus feeds me…His service. To imitate someone is to revere them. I revere and worship my Lord who is my example. John 13: 15 Jesus says to his disciples, "I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you."
I confess that my service, which is my worship, is lacking. I have often identified with the man in Mark that wanted to know what he had to do to inherit eternal life. Jesus, in his ever-patient manner, first assured the young man that no one was good except God alone. (Mark 10:18) Then the next verse tells us that Jesus looked at him and loved him. (vs. 21) I like to believe that Jesus will look at me that way…with love. Then when the man heard what Jesus wanted him to do…sell all he had, give to the poor and to follow Him…the man went away sad because he had great wealth. I really like the next part of that story that gives me hope. Jesus watched the "Rich Young Man," as my Bible called him, walk away and he said, "How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!" (vs. 23) You may be asking how I get hope out of that? I have to notice that Jesus didn't say it was impossible, just hard.
My service to God is hard. I have great wealth on so many levels. It's hard to give up my time, my vices, and my energy just to do something "good". But I have to because it is the will of God that I do. I'd like to think that the even though it might have taken the rich young man years to come around, that he eventually sold his things, gave to the poor and then went around telling people about the Jesus that looked at him with love.
Worship and service…yes they are synonyms. I serve God because he is worthy. I worship Him because He is worthy. Philippians 2:13 says, "…for it is God who works in you (me) to will and to act according to his good purpose."
May 28, 2005
The First Day of the Rest of My Summer
It is 9:30 on Saturday after my last day of teaching school for this year.
I'm still in my pajamas.
I pulled back the shades to let daylight into this house.
My cat is sitting in the window looking out at the world.
I hear birds outside sweetly singing. (probably because my cat is behind glass)
The best part is I don't have work from school looming in my bookbag ruining my day.
Life is good!
I love summer vacation. But this year I love it more than most. I'm not sure why, but I was particularly looking forward to this time away from school. The older I get and the longer I teach (I have 25 years service with this district and two with others...yeah, I'm old.) the more I really need these summers.
However I think the big reason I've been looking forward to this summer is because there is no major move to be made. Three summers ago I packed up my classroom I'd taught in for 13 or so years because the whole school was moving to another building. I must have packed 200 boxes of mine and the schools things for that move. You should have seen the pile I left for trash. That school building has since been demolished. That was the same summer that my oldest son graduated with his master's degree from ACU...the weekend just before the movers were to take my school boxes to the new building. (which wasn't new at all & another story) I started work the Monday just following that weekend. Oh and my son and his wife were packing and cleaning out their apartment in Abilene to move to Michigan. So while we were there for graduation, we helped them finish that task and we watched them drive away on that long journey.
The next summer, my husband and I moved from our house in Pinehurst where we'd lived 23 years and raised our three boys. We also moved my middle son and his wife to Baytown. In fact those poor people were moved three times in two months. Yet another story. So I packed box after box after box and thought it would never end. The week just before we moved to the new house, Kim had to be in New York for a week. So guess who packed and packed and packed? But the good thing about that move was about three days after we got into this house, we turned around and left for a Florida vacation. Well I don't know now how good it was because we left a lot of work here. The good part was that we got away with our son and his wife and had a lot of fun seeing Disney World. It was all the work when we returned that was tough.
Then last summer I packed more boxes and moved to another school building. I couldn't stand the "new" school building of my old job. So I repacked my teaching things (some had never been unpacked from the first move) and in about two moves with our van, drove them over to the new building (which really is new). I loaded my van by myself and unloaded and carted all of those boxes at the new building by myself. I've enjoyed my new school building very much since it is only 3 blocks from my new (to me) house.
So I'm happy about NOT moving or packing boxes this summer. Well that is not entirely true. It is our second summer in this house and I still have a garage full of boxes that need to be unpacked or moved or trashed. I'm leaning toward the latter. I'm going to take my time with it though because I know that I will have to do it all by myself. I don't care though because I'll do it my way and no one will complain. No one else wants the job.
So I'm keeping plenty of Bud Lite in the fridge to cool down with and I'm making that garage my summer project. The best part is I don't have to move in or out of any place this summer. It is my ambition to be a bum every day or so and do nothing. So if you're planning on a visit...come on...we'll go out to eat and may even take you to play on the beach. Just don't ask me to pack or move you anywhere. I'm done!
I'm still in my pajamas.
I pulled back the shades to let daylight into this house.
My cat is sitting in the window looking out at the world.
I hear birds outside sweetly singing. (probably because my cat is behind glass)
The best part is I don't have work from school looming in my bookbag ruining my day.
Life is good!
I love summer vacation. But this year I love it more than most. I'm not sure why, but I was particularly looking forward to this time away from school. The older I get and the longer I teach (I have 25 years service with this district and two with others...yeah, I'm old.) the more I really need these summers.
However I think the big reason I've been looking forward to this summer is because there is no major move to be made. Three summers ago I packed up my classroom I'd taught in for 13 or so years because the whole school was moving to another building. I must have packed 200 boxes of mine and the schools things for that move. You should have seen the pile I left for trash. That school building has since been demolished. That was the same summer that my oldest son graduated with his master's degree from ACU...the weekend just before the movers were to take my school boxes to the new building. (which wasn't new at all & another story) I started work the Monday just following that weekend. Oh and my son and his wife were packing and cleaning out their apartment in Abilene to move to Michigan. So while we were there for graduation, we helped them finish that task and we watched them drive away on that long journey.
The next summer, my husband and I moved from our house in Pinehurst where we'd lived 23 years and raised our three boys. We also moved my middle son and his wife to Baytown. In fact those poor people were moved three times in two months. Yet another story. So I packed box after box after box and thought it would never end. The week just before we moved to the new house, Kim had to be in New York for a week. So guess who packed and packed and packed? But the good thing about that move was about three days after we got into this house, we turned around and left for a Florida vacation. Well I don't know now how good it was because we left a lot of work here. The good part was that we got away with our son and his wife and had a lot of fun seeing Disney World. It was all the work when we returned that was tough.
Then last summer I packed more boxes and moved to another school building. I couldn't stand the "new" school building of my old job. So I repacked my teaching things (some had never been unpacked from the first move) and in about two moves with our van, drove them over to the new building (which really is new). I loaded my van by myself and unloaded and carted all of those boxes at the new building by myself. I've enjoyed my new school building very much since it is only 3 blocks from my new (to me) house.
So I'm happy about NOT moving or packing boxes this summer. Well that is not entirely true. It is our second summer in this house and I still have a garage full of boxes that need to be unpacked or moved or trashed. I'm leaning toward the latter. I'm going to take my time with it though because I know that I will have to do it all by myself. I don't care though because I'll do it my way and no one will complain. No one else wants the job.
So I'm keeping plenty of Bud Lite in the fridge to cool down with and I'm making that garage my summer project. The best part is I don't have to move in or out of any place this summer. It is my ambition to be a bum every day or so and do nothing. So if you're planning on a visit...come on...we'll go out to eat and may even take you to play on the beach. Just don't ask me to pack or move you anywhere. I'm done!
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