Digging Deep | Worship and Service

Happy Thanksgiving Friends. Well, in three more days that is. I had planned to post this last week while I was at the library until I realized that I left my notes at home. Oops! So here we are today.


Last week I was reading a passage in Luke, because I'm finishing up my read through the Bible in a year study. I don't read the books in order. I'm just strange like that. I have in other years. So as I was reading my devotions in Luke chapter 10 I came to the end of the chapter, where Luke tells the account of Jesus visiting the Mary and Martha sister duo. I love this account, I don't want to call it a story, because it really happened. This particular time as I read the Lord used a phrase to speak to me, and I want to share with you because maybe you are stuggling in this area. Perhaps you don't even know you are struggling with this.

Luke 10:40

"But Martha was cumbered about

much serving."

Let's be honest. Our automatic assumption...Martha had problems. She was a controlling maniacal homemaker. She had major priority issues. Obviously she had anger problems. She should have been just like Mary her sister. She was wrong to be serving, she should have been worshipping at Jesus's feet. Well, yes and no. Martha's service wasn't wrong in that she was serving, I think she may just have overdone it a little.

The real problem was that Martha had let herself get cumbered by too much serving. {cumbered- to drag all around, that is to distract} Martha was so busy dragging her plans and wishes for the day with Jesus around she distracted herself from the real thing, Jesus. She had no need to impress Him. Martha wasn't enjoying the fellowship with Christ. She wasn't able to serve the Lord with Gladness (Psalm 100:2) because she was too distracted from the object of her service.

When your service and ministries become so many that you are stressed out doing them, planning on how to get them all done, even just thinking about them, then you are having a Martha Moment.

STOP!!! Ask yourself:

Am I over-serving and under-worshiping?

 

The solution isn't to quit serving. Christ call us to serve Him, but when we forget the end result of our service is to worship the Lord. When we lose sight of {We serve because of Who we serve} it's time for us to re-evaluate. When you, when I, serve in a ministry and get through that service and have not given one thought to "This is my worship to you, Lord. This is a way I LOVE to serve you!" then let's back off. Scale back. Are we doing too much? (Don't get me started there, because the answer is a resounding yes. And it isn't just in regard to ministries.)

Service does not equate to Spirituality. Did you read that? Read it again.

God does not show favor more abundantly to someone who serves in 15 different ministries than to the person who have 2 ministries and fulfils them with the right heart attitude of worship and obedience.

It's all about balance.

• Do you serve in your ministries so much, you are neglecting the things at home? Your home is and always will be your top God-given ministry.
• Are you anxious and stressed on how to accomplish all those ministries? ie. make those printables, play for that special, teach that class, deliver that meal...
• Is your time with God lacking in fervour and not flourishing? Your mind is probably cluttered just like mine. It's cumbered with too many things, maybe some on those opportunities of service.
• Are you in this ministry because you felt guilty when asked? Feeling guilty, obligated, is never a reason to join that ministry. Christ doesn't want us to serve Him out of guilt. Because no matter what area you are serving, the ministering isn't for the people, it's for Christ.

Take some steps to put your worship and service in order.

• Scale back on some ministries. Pray and ask the Lord to show you which mininstries HE wants you to be involved in. Probably the ones you love and enjoy doing, will be part of the ones He chooses, because He created you for that specific thing. But there may be one or two that He chooses that are uncomfortable, they will stretch and grow you in your walk with Him.
• Don't stop serving. Martha was distracted from the reason of her sevice, to have Jesus, her friend, over for fellowship. Heartfelt service is worship.
• Focus on your time with the Lord. You have to be filled in order to pour out. And spending time in devotions, in fellowship with Christ is a form of worship also.
• Meet the needs of your "home people" first. Your "others" circle starts closest to you and then stretches out to others.

This passage was such a blessing. A reminder that I don't have to do everything in order to make the Lord happy. A time of analysis, to consider my motives and my load. Am I really doing to much? What about you? Is your service a drudgery? Are you stressed trying to fit it all into the calendar, because "IT'S GREAT SERVING JESUS!!!! GRRR!!!"? Take time and evaluate your ministry priorities.