Service: The Pursuit of God
It is day one of the mission trip for my youth group, nearing 12:30 p.m. and we are in a time crunch. There is no way we'll make it back in time for the debrief--in fact, we may not even serve lunch on time. We scramble, six girls in aprons and hair nets, to get food on the table for hungry strangers. Somehow, we succeed.
I serve grapes to broken women, ladies who may have gone days without knowing where their next meal would come from. As I look into their faces, both stoney and smiling, God whispers to my heart:
"I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.... Truly I say to you, as you did to the least of these my brothers, you did to me." (Matthew 25:35-36, 40 ESV)
It is only a whisper, an impression on my heart. Still, I am struck. Boiling pasta, chopping onions, and rinsing grapes aren't tasks that require rocket science, but for these women, they are tasks that make a big difference. For one meal, God has used us to relieve some of the anxiety these women live with. And as we have done it for them...we have done it for Him.
A friend and I eat with one of the women, try to make conversation. She gives short answers and we fall silent often. Awkwardness settles over us, and I am frustrated. To make conversation with this woman is to make conversation with God and I am missing out because I feel shy and aren't pastor's daughters, of which I am one, supposed to be good at interacting, at drawing people out of their shells? Why is this so hard? As we prepare to serve dessert, I lay a hand on the woman's shoulder, tell her it was nice to meet her. A smile, a courtesy, flickers across her face long enough to reply; we don't speak again.
We serve ice cream and the women open up in excitement. One asks for four scoops, even with the flak she receives from the other women. I meet her gaze: "Enjoy it." She grins, assures me she will. Another comes to the counter beaming, and declares, "When you said 'ice cream,' I thought you called my name!" So simple. Could this really be the way God chooses to be served?
We return to headquarters, share stories and takeaways. I share God's whisper and, for one moment, feel that I am a success.
And then I forget.
The rest of the week, I limp through the vicious cycle of human nature--learn, forget, repeat. Wednesday, we visit a homeless shelter, put sheets and pillow cases on nearly four hundred beds, and I remember. I make a bed almost every day; it is the simplest of tasks. But four hundred men without homes will sleep here tonight instead of on the street. They will be fed and given the Gospel. While we make beds, God makes us a part of His kingdom work.
Thursday, we play soccer at a community for those with disabilities, and I forget. It is hot and, due to the dress code, I am wearing jeans. Not to mention sports have not been my thing since, in fourth grade, I kicked off my shoe and embarrassed myself during an Awana kickball game. I mope.
Suddenly, the game changes and I am reminded. Near me, a young man wants to kick the ball, and they are going to try to set up his perfect shot. Now, I have purpose. I pass and defend, try to let him have the blessing. When one attempt fails, I assure him we'll still get it. I ask God to let it be true. But the game ends with him having barely touched the ball. Have I failed him, failed God?
The question plagues as we return home to real life and the tale of that wonderful, crazy week unwinds in my heart. I don't feel very different. Did I do something wrong? I could have seized more opportunities, sought far more of God and far less of me. My motivations hadn't always been the purest. I had forgotten more than I had learned. Did I fail?
Not necessarily.
"It is because of him [God] that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God--that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption." (1 Corinthians 1:30) That girl with the bad attitude about soccer, the one who couldn't draw conversation out of a stranger? She's covered by the blood of Jesus Christ! Where the Accuser would say I have failed, Christ has redeemed me and those situations. In a way, He makes it impossible for me to fail. Whether or not I have succeeded, God always wins. Though I don't completely see how, in Christ, the mission trip was a success.
So what is the point of serving? I am already righteous, holy, and redeemed. I couldn't change that if I never served a day in my life. Yet, as my leaders taught me that week, "faith without works is dead." (James 2:26) What makes service such a pivotal part of the Christian life?
"Therefore, 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." (Romans 12:1, emphasis added.)
Service is a response to the mercy of God. And He is merciful. I have a list of gifts He gave me in that one week, gifts the girl with the bad attitude and the distraction problem didn't deserve. And those were small. I have seen His mercy in the big ways, too: In the way He wins over attitude and distraction to bring redemption; in the way He chooses to place His very presence in the least of these; in the way He uses a group of gangly, goofy teens as--miracle of miracles!--His own hands and feet; and always, especially, in the way He put His own Son to death to buy back the depraved and sinful and least--me. I am the least of these, and Jesus has loved me.
"We love because he first loved us." (1 John 4:19)
What makes service so pivotal? When done with the right heart, it is gratitude acted out, and gratitude is the completion of our relationship with God. He pours out gifts to bless us, and we bless Him back by giving thanks. This is why we do things like take Communion--to acknowledge and give thanks for God's mercy. Which means, if service is the action of gratitude, then service is...a way to commune with God! And communion, put simply, is very close relationship. No wonder it's so important! Christianity is built on relationship with Jesus Christ, and serving out of a thankful heart is a way to pursue relationship! And since relationship with God is the very heart of satisfaction, in the end, who wouldn't want to serve?
I serve grapes to broken women, ladies who may have gone days without knowing where their next meal would come from. As I look into their faces, both stoney and smiling, God whispers to my heart:
"I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.... Truly I say to you, as you did to the least of these my brothers, you did to me." (Matthew 25:35-36, 40 ESV)
It is only a whisper, an impression on my heart. Still, I am struck. Boiling pasta, chopping onions, and rinsing grapes aren't tasks that require rocket science, but for these women, they are tasks that make a big difference. For one meal, God has used us to relieve some of the anxiety these women live with. And as we have done it for them...we have done it for Him.
A friend and I eat with one of the women, try to make conversation. She gives short answers and we fall silent often. Awkwardness settles over us, and I am frustrated. To make conversation with this woman is to make conversation with God and I am missing out because I feel shy and aren't pastor's daughters, of which I am one, supposed to be good at interacting, at drawing people out of their shells? Why is this so hard? As we prepare to serve dessert, I lay a hand on the woman's shoulder, tell her it was nice to meet her. A smile, a courtesy, flickers across her face long enough to reply; we don't speak again.
We serve ice cream and the women open up in excitement. One asks for four scoops, even with the flak she receives from the other women. I meet her gaze: "Enjoy it." She grins, assures me she will. Another comes to the counter beaming, and declares, "When you said 'ice cream,' I thought you called my name!" So simple. Could this really be the way God chooses to be served?
We return to headquarters, share stories and takeaways. I share God's whisper and, for one moment, feel that I am a success.
And then I forget.
The rest of the week, I limp through the vicious cycle of human nature--learn, forget, repeat. Wednesday, we visit a homeless shelter, put sheets and pillow cases on nearly four hundred beds, and I remember. I make a bed almost every day; it is the simplest of tasks. But four hundred men without homes will sleep here tonight instead of on the street. They will be fed and given the Gospel. While we make beds, God makes us a part of His kingdom work.
Thursday, we play soccer at a community for those with disabilities, and I forget. It is hot and, due to the dress code, I am wearing jeans. Not to mention sports have not been my thing since, in fourth grade, I kicked off my shoe and embarrassed myself during an Awana kickball game. I mope.
Suddenly, the game changes and I am reminded. Near me, a young man wants to kick the ball, and they are going to try to set up his perfect shot. Now, I have purpose. I pass and defend, try to let him have the blessing. When one attempt fails, I assure him we'll still get it. I ask God to let it be true. But the game ends with him having barely touched the ball. Have I failed him, failed God?
The question plagues as we return home to real life and the tale of that wonderful, crazy week unwinds in my heart. I don't feel very different. Did I do something wrong? I could have seized more opportunities, sought far more of God and far less of me. My motivations hadn't always been the purest. I had forgotten more than I had learned. Did I fail?
Not necessarily.
"It is because of him [God] that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God--that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption." (1 Corinthians 1:30) That girl with the bad attitude about soccer, the one who couldn't draw conversation out of a stranger? She's covered by the blood of Jesus Christ! Where the Accuser would say I have failed, Christ has redeemed me and those situations. In a way, He makes it impossible for me to fail. Whether or not I have succeeded, God always wins. Though I don't completely see how, in Christ, the mission trip was a success.
So what is the point of serving? I am already righteous, holy, and redeemed. I couldn't change that if I never served a day in my life. Yet, as my leaders taught me that week, "faith without works is dead." (James 2:26) What makes service such a pivotal part of the Christian life?
"Therefore, 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." (Romans 12:1, emphasis added.)
Service is a response to the mercy of God. And He is merciful. I have a list of gifts He gave me in that one week, gifts the girl with the bad attitude and the distraction problem didn't deserve. And those were small. I have seen His mercy in the big ways, too: In the way He wins over attitude and distraction to bring redemption; in the way He chooses to place His very presence in the least of these; in the way He uses a group of gangly, goofy teens as--miracle of miracles!--His own hands and feet; and always, especially, in the way He put His own Son to death to buy back the depraved and sinful and least--me. I am the least of these, and Jesus has loved me.
"We love because he first loved us." (1 John 4:19)
What makes service so pivotal? When done with the right heart, it is gratitude acted out, and gratitude is the completion of our relationship with God. He pours out gifts to bless us, and we bless Him back by giving thanks. This is why we do things like take Communion--to acknowledge and give thanks for God's mercy. Which means, if service is the action of gratitude, then service is...a way to commune with God! And communion, put simply, is very close relationship. No wonder it's so important! Christianity is built on relationship with Jesus Christ, and serving out of a thankful heart is a way to pursue relationship! And since relationship with God is the very heart of satisfaction, in the end, who wouldn't want to serve?
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