Serving God through the Church

 

We are now in the busiest time of our church year. With the block parties this week, VBS next week, we will encounter hundreds of unchurched people in just a few days time. With all that is happening, there is still room for you to join in. If you would like to help us with our VBS, please speak to Amy Riley this Sunday to see where the needs are.

 

As we meditate on all of the service needs, I would like to share the following devotional from pastor John Butler.

 

"Their brethren, heads of the house of their fathers, a thousand and seven hundred and threescore; very able men for the work of the service of the house of God." (1 Chronicles 9:13)

 

This verse is about the priests who settled in Jerusalem during Nehemiah's time after the walls of Jerusalem had been rebuilt. The last part of the verse speaks of the service of priests. It speaks of the power for service, the perspiration in service, and the place of service.

Power for service. "Able men." The word translated "able" basically means power or strength. It can refer to physical strength or mental strength or even virtuous strength. The priests needed all three to serve the Lord. They needed physical strength to take care of the sacrifices, they needed mental strength to read the laws of God and administer the business of the Temple, and they needed virtuous strength to be qualified to do God's work. All of this says serving the Lord is not sissy work as the world often says it is. The world likes to picture Christianity as a weak, effeminate cause. But they are wrong; for if ever strength is required anywhere, it is required for God's service and for living for God. The godly life requires much strength.

Perspiration in service. "Work of the service." The service the priests were to perform is described as work. Serving God is not easy. If you are looking for a soft and easy job, do not look for a job in the service of God. The Bible describes living for God as a warfare (Ephesians 6:10–18), not as a picnic. If you expect to get anything out of your faith, you must be earnest in pursuit of your faith. The devil is doing all he can to oppose your work, so you must be earnest.

Place of service. "House of God." In our verse this refers specifically to the Temple constructed in Jerusalem for the worship of God. Today, we build church buildings for the worship of God, and they become a place of service. Too many folk however do not look at church as a place of service. They come simply to watch, or they do not come at all. But all of God's people need to view the church, the "house of God," as a place of service and roll of their sleeves and get busy for God.

 

May God strengthen our service!

 

- Bro. Dave