Moses split the sea. Elijah hit the tarmac in a heavenly chariot and was ushered into God’s glory. Isaiah caught a glimpse of the Almighty in His fulness during a vision in the sanctuary on the Lord’s Day. Though not for long, Peter did indeed walk on waves, Paul raised the dead and John saw the climax of the ages during a twenty-two chapter revelation given to Him personally by the ascended, majestic Son of God. When we read accounts like this in Scripture it can leave us feeling substantially inadequate about the work of God in our own lives. As a matter of fact, we can start to believe that we have an entirely different God than the men mentioned above because our experiences are more like unopened Saltine Crackers on the pantry shelf than the flaming-hot spiritual jalapeños that others have experienced. Where are our own rockets’ red glare, spiritual bombs bursting in air that give proof in the night that our God is still there? Should we be expecting the spectacular before we commit ourselves to the ordinary? Is ministry expected to be neon, sizzle and uber-dynamic on a regular basis? My belief is that, although sometimes Christian ministry is amazing, more often than not, it is discovered and achieved by willing hearts, motivated hands and faithful commitment to accomplish what lies before us.
“To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.” – 1 Corinthians 12:7 {ESV}
The gifting of the Spirit is not for the purpose of some ecstatic personal experience. No, God the Spirit imparts unto you the charismata (spiritual gifting) for the common good. Spiritual gifts are for the shared benefit of the body of Christ and any others whom we serve together. That is about as practical of a purpose for as spiritual of a concept that you can find. You might be surprised at how little is written about spiritual gifts in the New Testament. When seeking to learn about these gifts we have at our disposal Romans 12, 1 Corinthians 12, Ephesians 4 and two verses in 1 Peter 4. Clearly these gifts are viewed in action in other parts of the New Testament but they are only highlighted in their scope and purpose in these few passages. Since the gifts from God are essential in our Kingdom service, we might think there would be a wealth of information for us to wade through when seeking to discover our own gift and what to do with it. Have you ever wondered why so little is said? Let me hazard a quick guess today: God doesn’t want you overemphasizing the gifts at the expense of the One who gives them to you or the ones for whom you have been given the gifts.
When it comes to serving God we must remember that He lacks nothing personally and therefore has no need to be served. Truthfully, Scripture reveals that we serve God by serving each other. We are prone to over-spiritualize Christian ministry by relegating it to the mysterious, the mystical, the supernatural and the sublime. Don’t get me wrong, true ministry certainly involves spiritual components but the actual work doesn’t descend from Heaven to the sound of angelic trumpets, set you aglow, and send tantalizing tingles throughout your spinal column. No, the process of serving God, of engaging in true Christian ministry begins with your asking, “How can I help?” When our deepest theology meets our most practical opportunity we experience our most acceptable ministry. In Acts 10:38 the ministry of Jesus is characterized with the words, “He went about doing good…” Shortly after I was brought to faith in Christ, I found some foundational teaching for my life-purpose when I read in Proverbs 3:27, “Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to do it.” You see, Christian service is not about some transcendent experience but, instead, about having a practical faith that sacrifices what is necessary to meet the needs of another while retaining an awareness that you are doing so in the name of Christ. The ambassador has an assignment, represents one higher than himself and fulfills his charges in a way that reflects beautifully on the one by whom he is sent. That is us in a nutshell when we ponder on what it means to serve God.
So what about you? Are you serving God with your life? It is possible that you’ve been stuck on pause with many others as you have made this concept into something so mysterious that it remains unattainable. Maybe you’ve been waiting to discover “your gift” before getting engaged in ministry. Maybe you know your gift but haven’t found the open door to employ it. It’s not that complicated and it’s not that lofty. Look around, listen up and request guidance as you search for NEEDS. Ask someone in your church what needs to be done and see if you can be used of God to meet that need. Fill an opening. Make a call. Write a letter or email of encouragement. Visit someone or serve in an inglorious role in a ministry that lacks volunteers. Write a check to someone in need and hand it to them with no strings attached. If we will extract our heads from the clouds and do a horizontal scan of what needs to be accomplished, great things can occur.
Well, for any who are static and shuffling around, not in a committed life-flow of Christian ministry, allow me to give you some timeless advice from the early 1700’s:
“When you cannot do the good that you would…do the good that you can.” – Matthew Henry
Now…go and serve God by finding out where you can help others. Commit your heart and hands to something or someone that has lack. Then lift your eyes to the highest heaven while standing on the plain, dusty earth and thank God for His welcoming you to His service. Oh, by the way, never look back because you now know how to spend your life in a way that brings Him great pleasure and, to you, great joy.
You’ve hit the nail on the head Jeff, as usual. I’ve learned it’s better to act now when we see that something needs doing, when someone needs help, when we can encourage or console someone, when we can do something that will be a blessing to someone else don’t go home and think about it, just begin! Many times I’ve lost the zeal by analyzing, inventorying, researching, brainstorming and, in the end, wind up putting whatever the vision was on a back shelf for later. God gives us opportunities to serve as we go through our day. We must act on those opportunites before they pass us by. They are, after all, our blessings too!
Thanks Jeff for sharing encouragements and truths about ourselves that we need to act upon.
You’re talking my language! Your words remind me of Eric Liddel’s famous quote from Chariots of Fire: “I believe God made me for a purpose, but he also made me fast. And when I run I feel His pleasure.” The question that we need to answer is this. “How has God made me?” Absent God’s overt call on a life which, I believe, overrides natural gifts, the answer to that question points us in the direction of service.
Thanks for your continuing excellent work in this blog, Jeff.