Servants of God

Do you find satisfaction and joy in what you do, or in who you serve? How can you tell the difference?

In Sunday school on Sunday, we were talking about Eccl 2:1-16. We talked about how fate overtakes the wise and the foolish. We all die, regardless of what we are chasing. The difference is what we are living for.

What is the definition of an idol? An idol is something I am willing to sin in order to get, or sin if it is taken away. So, when what I am living for is taken away, how does that affect my joy? If I see no results, if I receive no praise, would I still be doing it?

From what Chambers said this morning, he talked about that when we do something out of a sense of duty, we can argue to it’s value. Therefore we expect to be rewarded in some way. But when we do anything in obedience to the Lord, there is no argument possible. We are doing it simply out of devotion to Him.

How does what I do measure up to that test? Let’s use this “test” with the older brother of the prodigal son. What was his response when his wayward brother was honored and he wasn’t?

He responded by saying, “I’ve slaved for you and never once refused to do a single thing you told me to. And in all that time you never gave me even one young goat” (Luke 15:29) He would never had said, “I serve you for the reward.” But, when the brother got rewarded and he didn’t, it revealed he wasn’t just serving out of devotion. He clearly expected something in return.

Why do I serve? I serve because I want to see Jesus exalted. I want to see people come to know Him, love Him and find their joy and satisfaction in Him. But, when I am honest, there is a subtle root in those things that I want to be appreciated for helping, I want to be known as a resource, a helper, etc. It can be so subtle. But, the litmus test is, how I feel when I don’t get those things.

How about you? What motivates you to serve? Do you genuinely serve out of pure and undivided devotion, or is there an element of self glorification or self exaltation in some way. Paul warned us all in 2 Cor 11:3, “But I fear that somehow your pure and undivided devotion to Christ will be corrupted, just as Eve was deceived by the cunning ways of the serpent.”

I pray today that your focus will be on your pure and undivided devotion to Christ. That you will not be deceived and caught by the schemes of the devil to focus on yourself, your own glory, your own agenda, or exalting yourself. But, that you would be more like the servant Jesus described in Luke 17:7-10, “In the same way, when you obey me you should say, ‘We are unworthy servants who have simply done our duty.’ ”