As I reflected on Oswald Chambers’ devotional of October 8 in My Utmost for His Highest, it seems sometimes we Christians expect we should be doing ‘big’ things for God. We may even ‘hold out’ for what we perceive as ‘big.’ Do we grow frustrated when we find ourselves ‘just’ teaching Bible to teenagers, ‘just’ helping one person learn English, ‘just’ tutoring a couple of men, ‘just’ serving on a low profile church committee, ‘just’ serving as a church greeter, ‘just’ working in preschool? What’s wrong with ‘small’ things for God? Are we excited about Him only if His call is for something we consider ‘big?’ Who are we to determine what’s ‘big’ in God’s sight?
Maybe we’ve lost sight of the fact that the Christian life isn’t about our ‘doing’ at all, but simply obeying God as He calls us “to come” to Him in faith, trust, and obedience. I get the idea that it is not you and me who are to offer God a list of what’s ‘acceptable service.’
Romans 12:1, “Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.”
So what to do? Rely on His Spirit, the Holy Spirit, to show you those areas where commitment to your idea of service is stronger than to God’s ideal. Maybe doing ‘small’ things is exactly what God has for you now. Come to Him moment by moment, hour by hour, day by day, month by month, year by year, and see what He has provided for your ‘acceptable service.’
Matthew 25:21, “His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’”
Stop the ‘doing’ and start the ‘coming,’ coming closer to the Lord. Stop what you think is important, and start considering what God says is important. Stop preventing Him from fully working in your life. Live for Him. Give Him your all.
Blessings of full commitment to God! Prayer requests?
“Dear Lord, help me to listen to and learn from You as to what my ‘acceptable service’ should be. Thank you, AMEN.”
Trading My Ideas for God’s Ideal, PJ
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Filed under: Practical Christianity Tagged: acceptable service to God, Holy Spirit, listening to God's plan for your life, ministry for God, Romans 12:1
