Tag: serving

Posted on

Playing Favorites

Daily Reading

Genesis 43-45

Daily Thought

Jacob knew the sting of favoritism, “Isaac loved Esau, but Rebekah loved Jacob” (Genesis 25:28). His father had preferred his firstborn brother. Favoritism produced pain and division, placing one child first above the others, yet, Jacob, when it was his turn, chose a son to favor, as well. Joseph may not have been his firstborn son, but he was the firstborn son of Rachel, the wife Jacob favored. Indeed, the sins of the father visit the children to the third and fourth generation (see Exodus 34:7). “Now Israel (Jacob) loved Joseph more than any other of his sons, because he was the son of his old age. And he made him a robe of many colors” (Genesis 37:3). Of course this caused dissension, but even after the other sons disposed of Joseph (they sold him off as a slave), Jacob learned nothing. He promptly promoted Rachel’s second son, Benjamin, in Joseph’s stead and the favorite’s chair continued to be filled.

This pattern of primacy would be broken, at last, by way of humility. Judah, one of Joseph’s brothers, chose to be last instead of first. When Benjamin’s life appeared to be threatened, Judah offered his in exchange, “Please let me remain instead of Benjamin as a servant to my lord, and let the boy go back with his brothers” (Genesis 44:33). Judah offered his life for the sake of his brother’s. True greatness is never first in line. Serving and sacrifice always get there before it.   

Joseph appears the hero of the last dozen chapters of Genesis, but God’s Son, the Servant King, would descend not through the favored line of Joseph, but through a different son, a servant. “Jesus…the son of Judah, the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham” (Luke 3:33-34). Serving others is in God’s DNA.

“For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” ~Mark 10:45

Daily Prayer

My God, Your Son, the King of kings and Lord of lords, died on the cross in my place. I tend not to rule that way, but my Creator does. How pompous I am, the desire to be first reigns in my heart, yet the One who is truly First places Himself last, in the role of servant.

I have learned from Your Son, my Savior, that to be first I must be last. You shine through me when I love and serve others. May I be one who follows You downward, emptying my own pride, and replacing it with love and sacrifice.

Amen

Daily Question

What are some ways your family has made serving others part of your DNA?

Posted on

Force, Fear, or Faith

Daily Reading

1Kings 12-14

Daily Thought

There are three ways to rule.

By faith. Rehoboam sought advice from the wise old men who had counseled his father, Solomon, while he had been king, “How do you advise me to answer this people?” And they said to him, “If you will be a servant to this people today and serve them, and speak good words to them when you answer them, then they will be your servants forever” (1Kings 12:6-7).

By force. “But he abandoned the counsel that the old men gave him” (1Kings 12:8). Rehoboam preferred strength, and said to his people, “My little finger is thicker than my father’s thighs. And now, whereas my father laid on you a heavy yoke, I will add to your yoke. My father disciplined you with whips, but I will discipline you with scorpions” (1Kings 12:10-11). Little wonder many rebelled and turned to Jeroboam.

By fear. Anointed by God, Jeroboam nevertheless was afraid that “if this people go up to offer sacrifices in the temple of the Lord at Jerusalem, then the heart of this people will turn again to their lord, to Rehoboam king of Judah, and they will kill me and return to Rehoboam king of Judah” (1Kings 12:27). The Temple was in the south at Jerusalem, so Jeroboam made religion convenient to the north. Rather than travel to the Temple, he brought God to the people in the likeness of two golden calves, placed close to home in Bethel and Dan. Pleasing the people, he set up altars throughout the land and chose priests from any tribe, not God’s chosen tribe of Levi. By convenience and accommodation, faith was made weak.

There are three ways to rule, by force, by fear, or by faith. Only one unites. When you rule by faith, you trust God and serve his people by following God’s will. Israel could have been one nation under God, but Rehoboam ruled by force and Jeroboam  by fear, “and there was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam continually” (1Kings 14:30).

Daily Prayer

God, may You always be first place in my life. May You be my first love, my full devotion. With all my heart, soul, mind, and strength, may my love never waver or cease. May I seek Your Word, Your ways, Your will.

Protect me from the weakness of fear, and guard me against finding strength in position or popularity or power. May I, instead, at all times seek Your pleasure.

Amen

Daily Question

Why is serving others one of the most important qualities of a leader?

Posted on

A New Commandment

Daily Reading

John 13-15

Daily Thought

The end was near, and by the end, I mean when Jesus said, “It is finished” (John 19:30), and died for the sins of the world. To prepare his disciples now for the cross that would soon follow, “that he had come from God and was going back to God” (John 13:3), Jesus grabbed a towel and began washing his disciples’ feet. Peter, believing it undignified of Jesus to play the servant (because he would think himself undignified if he had done the same), told Jesus to stop, but Jesus corrected him. “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me” (John 13:8); if you are to be like me, Peter, you shall allow me to serve you and “you also should do just as I have done to you” (John 13:15).

Jesus explained he would soon leave them, and “where I am going you cannot come” (John 13:33). Last words are important words, and none more important than what followed, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:34-35). Peter missed the last words completely and returned to the first, “Lord, where are you going?” (John 13:36). 

Sometimes, I think Jesus chose Peter as a disciple because he would ask the questions all of us are thinking. How often we concern ourselves with where Jesus went or when he is coming back, neglecting the very thing he told us to do in his absence, to love one another. When I was a teenager, I remember the church sanctuary packed on Wednesday evening for a conference on “End Times,” then, the next night, a dozen would show up to feed the hungry at the mission. I’m not throwing stones, I was there Wednesday, not Thursday. We argue at the edges and miss the center, “love one another,” then wonder at the world’s difficulty in recognizing his disciples. 

Daily Prayer

God, Almighty, Powerful, Wonderful, and Wise, You are worthy of all praise. The whole world sings of Your glory. And you got down on your knees and washed my feet. And you got up on a cross and died in my place. Serving and sacrifice.

May I have that same attitude, one of humility and service. One of sacrifice and dying to myself. One of love. May the world know that You are God, my God, because I show them the same love You have shown me.

Amen

Posted on

Follow God, Serve the World

Daily Reading

Ezra 4-7

Daily Thought

When the northern kingdom of Israel was taken captive by Assyria in 722 BC, the scattered remains of Israelites left behind intermarried with many other nations, producing a mingled people and a mangled religion. They claimed to worship the same God as Judah (Ezra 4:2); they failed to mention the many others (2Kings 17:25-41). They became another nation, a mixed breed called the Samaritans, “the nations whom the great and noble Osnappar deported and settled in the cities of Samaria and in the rest of the province Beyond the River” (Ezra 4:10). They also became adversaries of Israel.

Israel was returning to rebuild the temple, but building the temple of God was a daunting task for the smallish number. Samaria offered, “Let us build with you” (Ezra 4:2). It seemed a neighborly gesture, however when adversaries offer help, it is reasonable to suspect their motive. Israel could use the help, but then their temple would become “our temple,” and Israel would become part of the mix. Purity doesn’t mix, and Israel was to be holy, set apart to the one true God. And so Israel’s unneighborly response, “You have nothing to do with us in building a house to our God; but we alone will build to the Lord, the God of Israel” (Ezra 4:3).

The bond of unity with other nations may have an appearance of strength, allies joining together, but Israel’s strength is their God. Those who follow God serve the world, not through partnership with the world, but through purity in the world.

Daily Prayer

Holy God, every good thing comes from You. You are righteous and just, full of grace and mercy. You give the world hope through faith, and show us what love truly looks like. Your love is not indifferent to my sin, but recognizes the sin and responds with care. Even while I sinned against You, You hung on the cross for me.

Protect me from temptation to sin, or even tolerance toward it, and keep me holy, set apart for You. When I fall and fail, I love Your grace, because I require it, but I long more for Your righteousness and goodness, that these would mark my life. I look forward to Your kingdom come, when righteousness and goodness will reign. May my life be more and more a display of these qualities of my King of kings, my Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ.

Amen

Posted on

“Israel”

Daily Reading

Genesis 32-34

Daily Thought

It had been quite a night, wrestling in his sleep with what at first Jacob thought was a man, but could only have been God. Jacob lasted the fight and won a blessing, but before the blessing, God gave Jacob a new name to remind him of the curse–the curse man and woman have known since they ate the forbidden fruit–that his will be a life of conflict with creation, creatures, and Creator. God gave Jacob a lifelong reminder, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed.” (Genesis 32:28). Israel means “the one who struggles with God.” and that was Jacob, who looked out only for himself, wrestled with God, and triumphed over others by conquest. Just like the rest of us.

We need a new name to follow and there is another, a Name above every name, one who offers us a different way. When Jesus says, “Follow me” (Matthew 9:9), he isn’t saying merely get up, but turn around, because we are headed the wrong direction, following the wrong name. Rather than looking out for ourselves like Israel, Jesus looks out for others. Rather than wrestling with God, Jesus listens to His Father. Rather than triumph by conquest, Jesus triumphs by serving.

Jesus said, “Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” ~Matthew 11:29

Daily Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank You for Your Son, my Savior, the Name above all names. Thank You for Your grace, that You came to seek and save the lost. Me!

God, teach me to serve others, to love others. Father, may I stop the struggle and surrender to Your ways. May I serve You by serving others. May I overcome the curse by being a blessing in Your Name.

Amen