Tag: ministry devotions

Sunday Shorts – Her Ministry

church devotions, Devotions, Lectionary devotions, Sunday devotions

Ordy 25BsMark 9:35 Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, “If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all.”

Years ago, on Sunday mornings, my wife Evelyn and I would have a coffee at either McDonalds or a bakery. Evelyn enjoys talking to folks and over the years, she developed friendships with the people who worked there. She talked to and helped single mums who were working all day in the restaurant, trying to get their high school diplomas at night. She blethered (an old Scots word for ‘talked’) with the seniors who were regulars, shared family photographs and funny stories with them. She listened to young students who were working their way through college, giving them encouragement to fulfill their ambitions. Evelyn often went just to have a quiet read and a cup of coffee, but I know that she also enjoyed the community of workers she befriended over all those years.

Evelyn did the same at the West Town Mall. She got up early (before 6am!) and did four laps of the Mall. I tried walking with her, but I couldn’t keep up – she walks too fast – and I’m not an early bird either. She talked to all the people in the Mall like they were her best friends – the walkers, the security guards, and the cleaners. When one senior walker was diagnosed with cancer, she made him some cookies and sent a card. When another walker suffered bereavement, she comforted her with prayers and love. I’m not saying that my wife is a saint – although she must be, she’s married to me – but what I am saying is that she has a ministry of her own which is quiet, unnoticed and just based on befriending, supporting, and serving the least among us. Over many years, she has quietly helped people in the congregations I served without drawing any attention to herself. She still does that today by writing and sending cards to folks she knows with words of encouragement, support, and love.

The mission of each church is to do the same. Many people have been blessed by the personal ministries that church folks accomplish with their families, friends, church visitors, and even strangers on the street. These ministries are the least publicized of all, but do you know what? These small ministries are among the greatest in the eyes of God and the most beautiful in Christ’s Kingdom. The best way to serve God is to serve others with faith, hope, and love, as well as respect, acceptance, and compassion.

So, wherever you are today, take time to be interested in other people, especially those who serve you in stores, restaurants, petrol stations, cash registers, banks and supermarkets. They are all children of God’s grace and just like you and me, they need to be appreciated, recognized, and loved.

Point to ponder: Who will I encounter today? How can I serve God by treating them respectfully?

Prayer:            Lord Jesus wherever we are today and with whoever we meet, may we see God’s image in their faces and God’s grace in their eyes. Instead of looking to be served, may we look for opportunities to serve quietly, faithfully and effectively. In Your Most Holy Name, we humbly pray. Amen.

Sabbath Psalms – Real Servants

church devotions, Devotions, Lectionary devotions, Psalm devotions, Sunday devotions

Psalm 084sPsalm 84:10    Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked. (NIV)

I remember a time when we didn’t have a custodian on duty at the church I served on Sunday mornings. This meant that I had to make the coffee because I was one of the first to arrive at the church. I also swept up the leaves at the front door, which usually collected in between Sunday school and worship. Some church members even joked with me when they caught me sweeping those leaves, asking if I had been promoted! It was all good fun, enhancing the friendship and fellowship at the church. It also helped me maintain a balanced perspective and kept my spiritual feet on solid ground.

I love the highlighted verse from today’s psalm because it reminds us that the practice of humility in God’s service is far more precious to Him than any fame or fortune, power or prestige. Whatever we do for the church, we are meant to do it humbly, firstly because we love God and secondly because we want to simply help others, so that they may be attracted to serving God as well.

When we think about Christ coming among us, we may be humbled and touched by the simplicity of Christ’s entrance into the world. He didn’t come to Earth surrounded by thousands of angels and glorified by rulers from all over the world. He wasn’t born into a family esteemed with riches and made prosperous through their power. His first abode was a wooden shack, usually reserved for animals. His life was endangered almost immediately by King Herod, and his family became refugees for a while. Rather than being recognized as the King of kings and Lord of lords, He was just a mere baby, unprotected and vulnerable, with no power or authority.

This is why serving the Lord at church should never be something that we undertake in order to fulfill our ambitions or build up our esteem. We serve the Lord because we are His servants. He calls and expects us to humbly do His will. He wants us to fulfill His ministries and missions, as opposed to our own dreams and desires. In other words, what we do at church is not to glorify ourselves, but to humbly worship God.

Point to ponder: Whatever I do in church, is it to make me feel good or to glorify God’s goodness?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, we proclaim You as our King, making us Your subjects. Help us to recognize and accept that we serve You, so that You will be honored and glorified. Give us the heart of a humble servant and encourage us to attract others to serve You faithfully, too. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is a retired Scottish Presbyterian pastor now living in Knoxville, Tennessee.