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Seeking to Serve
Andrea Lende • September 20, 2021
Matthew 20:26 and 28
Seeking to Serve
You can listen to the devotion and prayer at: https://anchor.fm/andrea-lende/episodes/Seeking-to-Serve-e17k7p8
Matthew 20:26 and 28
“Not so shall it be among you; but whoever wishes to be great among you must be your servant.”
“Just as the Son of Man came not to be waited on but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many [the price paid to set them free].”
Jesus came to serve.
He was a King Who did not seek nor have worldly possessions.
Instead, He diligently sought to serve as many people as He could.
He served the poor, the burdened, the sick, the unlearned, and the downcast.
As His ministry moved forward, one of the mothers of the disciples asked Jesus to reserve a place of honor for her children in heaven.
She didn’t just want a place for them, she wanted them to have a special place for them asking if one could sit on His right and one on His left.
Jesus couldn’t gift her these things.
And when the other disciples found out about her request, they became deservedly upset.
Jesus quickly quieted their anger by talking to them about serving saying, “whoever wishes to be great among you must be your servant.”
Our world’s definition of greatness, success, and honor seems so opposite of this idea of serving.
I believe the did Lord put ambition in our hearts.
He desires our success as much as we do.
For we serve Him through our work and touching other’s lives.
But Jesus’ message in this passage gives me pause to check my own ambitions and motives.
I pray the Lord purifies both because the desire to succeed can easily overtake the desire to truly serve.
Today I choose to look for opportunities to be of service to whomever the Lord puts in my path.
May you find satisfaction and meaning in serving today and every day.
Daily Prayer:
O Lord, my God, thank You for reminding me that being of service is more valuable to You than being served. Thank You for reminding me to check my motives and ambitions. Lord, I pray for a servant’s heart. Help me serve where there is need looking for nothing in return. Thank You for sending Your Son to live on this earth and die for me. Thank you for making it possible for me to sit in Your presence and be led and guided by You. Thank You for making it possible for You to see me as pure and lovely. Thank You for making it possible for Your Spirit to reside within me. I am unworthy except through Your Son’s blood. I pray You make my intentions and motives holy, Lord. Help me do what You ask me to do and be obedient to You in every way. Cleanse me through and through, Lord, so I may help others. Help me bless someone this day. Thank You for hearing my prayer.
Answer: I AM purifying your heart so you can serve Me as I ask of you.
Response: Purify my motives and ambitions and help me be of service to You, Lord.
We start a New Year! How exciting! Paul had just finished telling the Ephesians to put off their old nature. They had been run around by their feelings and desires. He told them to be renewed in their spirit. The Amplified Bible defines this to be “having a fresh mental and spiritual attitude.” As we say goodbye to this year, let us put on the new and leave the old behind. We have an opportunity to reflect on what to bring forward into this New Year.
This is a great message for the New Year. We can be in control of our own words. As a mother, I used to tell my children to use their words to explain what was happening in their minds. I tried to help them find the right words. Words that would help the situation and not make it worse. I must do the same thing when talking to them. It’s important to use words that do not damage their spirits. Words that lift up instead of tear down. Even though my children have grown, I still want to be careful how I speak to them because my worlds will impact them for the rest of their lives.
As we approach the New Year, it is a perfect time to take inventory of what part of our lives, our hearts, and our souls are not bearing fruit. What can we give up as this year comes to a close? What do we need to give to the Lord for His cleansing and pruning? The answers to these questions take time. Time with the Lord. We are creatures of routines and habits which serve us well. But we can also change our routines and habits to serve us and the Lord better. So, we can ask God to show us what He wants us to give up so that He can have more of us.
I cannot think of a better verse to meditate on as we approach the New Year. Jesus said, "the kingdom of God is within you [in your hearts] and among you [surrounding you]." For so many years I believed I had to wait to go to heaven to experience the kingdom of God. I have longed to step into heaven and meet the Lord and His Son. However, as we read the Gospels and study Jesus and all that He said, we begin to understand the kingdom of God is all around us. The kingdom of God is within.
Paul wrote to the Colossians and told them he was praying for them. He prayed they would be refreshed, renewed, and invigorated. He also prayed they would be strengthened. May his prayer be heard by the Lord God Almighty on our behalf today just as it was received two thousand years ago. God is the Source of all things beautiful and wonderful. There is no shortage of renewal, refreshment, or inspiration in His kingdom. And as the Creator of this universe, He continues to pour all good things into His people. Paul wrote that refreshment and strength are needed so we may have endurance.
This verse is the perfect verse to reflect on as Christmas comes to a close. The Lord sent His Son to us. He sent Him to this world as a babe. Jesus was given the task of growing up. A difficult one for all of us. He endured the awkward stages we all go through as we grow past them. I look back at old picture and cringe, yes, I cringe. This life provides plenty of opportunities to feel awkward and just plain weird, but our Father loves us as though we are perfect every day of our lives. This is why Jesus came. He came to make us perfect in God’s sight.
God made Himself flesh so He could take away the sins of the world. The story of the very first Christmas was humble, yet the most powerful and loving birth ever recorded in history. All humanity changed in an instant. When Jesus was born, love filled the earth. Love came down and lifted us up. The angels came to tell the shepherds of this beautiful birth. The stars in the heavens also told the story. As we do all tasks that we do to ensure a beautiful Christmas day, may we remember the miracle that God sent long ago. The miracle of all miracles.
The first Christmas was going to be documented, so that it could be read many times over for all Christmas’ to come. It was also documented so the prophecy of the Messiah’s birth would be known to be fulfilled. Prophets of old foretold Jesus would come from the house of David. They also prophesied that He would be born in Bethlehem. And all this came to pass. Even though Jesus would be known as a Nazarene, His beginning began in Bethlehem. God’s divine plan was set in motion with the first census while Mary was at the end of her pregnancy.
What a wonderful passage to read during Christmas week. Our passage touched my heart as I read it through the lens of Jesus’ birth. “It was God [personally present] in Christ, reconciling and restoring the world to favor with Himself.” We have so much to be thankful for in these few short words, “restoring the world to favor with Himself.” So undeserved and yet so graciously given. We are offered favor with the Lord. Imagine having favor with the almighty God, the Creator of the universe. Jesus chose to leave heaven’s door where all was perfect. He chose to be born into this dusty messy world.
Jesus had just spoken to a fig tree and deemed it unworthy to live because it had no fruit on it. His disciples were amazed when they saw the fig tree wither and die. Then the Lord talked to them about prayer and belief. He told them that whatever they asked for, if they had the faith and belief, they would receive it. I remember the day I started hearing music and lyrics. I had just bowed my head at the piano and asked if the Lord would bless praise and worship music. As soon as I prayed that prayer, the Lord bestowed the gift of song writing upon me.