Abundant Grace Ministries: Serving God through Serving Others

Abundant Grace Ministries: Serving God through Serving Others: "For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one...

Serving God through Serving Others

"For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself " Galatians 5:13-14 ESV. 

One of the most blessed ways for you to serve is to ask God to give you opportunities to serve. Such opportunities will come your way to glorify God in your life. Everyone wants to be great, famous, influential and wealthy and lead others, but little did we know that greatness is not in amassing wealth or position but in lives you impact. However, serving God draws you and others closer to God. For those reasons, we do a lot to achieve such desires. The desire of God for all Christians is that we serve Him through others. If serving Him is not attracting more souls to God’s kingdom, then we are not serving God. In the story of the righteous and the wicked, Jesus said,

 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.  For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,  I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’  “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ Matthew 25: 34-40

God made each one of us with unique ability to add value to people’s life and draw them to the kingdom of God. And when we invite Jesus into our lives, we’re given at least one spiritual gift or the other to function in the body of Christ. Ephesians 4:14-16. As we do so, the Lord blesses us with eternal inheritance and makes way for us in the wilderness while water gushes out of our desert. Regardless of what season of life you’re in, there are small, simple acts that can be done every day to serve those around you and ultimately, to serve Christ.  Many of these you probably already do. These are easy and practical ways to develop a servant’s heart.  Colossians 3:23 says “Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men…”  When we serve others in these simple ways, we are serving the Lord. For example you are going on the road and find someone with flat tyre; you can give a helping hand to fix it. What of taking care of your wife or husband do certain things that will ease his or her stress? “Whoever wants to be great among you must be your servant.”   (Matthew 20:26)

The main excuses by many of us are:

• I Don’t Have Time. My job does not allow for all these church activities. This is Lagos where man must struggle for survival. The truth is that God calls people who are engaged in one business or the other. Peter was a fisherman, Matthew a tax collector Paul a tentmaker etc. my brethren excuse does not remove offense. With such responsibilities on you, God wants you to serve. Others are using their family as excuse and many other engagements for not serving the Lord and others. Who knows whether your present predicament is because you fail to honour God with your job? What is your excuse for evading service to God through serving others?

• I Don’t Know What I Would Do. It is not until you go to Seminary before you know how to serve the Lord. One thing you need first is availability. If you are available, teachable and responsible definitely you will know what to do in serving the Lord. Be available for discipleship, Bible Study, Fellowship and other spiritual gathering where the Bible is genuinely taught. “And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.” (Hebrews 10:25 (CEBA) Don't stop meeting together with other believers, which some people have gotten into the habit of doing. Instead, encourage each other, especially as you see the day drawing near) Heb 10: 25; Rom. 12: 1-2 

Why is serving so important? Let us share together reasons for serving God through serving others:

1. Serving Brings Fulfillment And Joy. People who need your help exist all around you, in your home, your neighborhood, and your work place.  You cannot be happy while those in pain and hardship surround you. When you meet people’s need, there is sense of fulfillment. The disciples came back rejoicing with testimonies. “The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in Your name.” So He said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.…” Luke 10: 17, 18

2. Serving Allows Us To Experience Miracles. In John 2, Jesus was at a wedding and the couple was running out of wine for its guests. He tells the servants to fill several big jars to the brim. When they served the water to the guests, it was wine! The guests never knew what happened; the servants were the ones who witnessed the miracle. The same is true for us when we serve.

3. Serving Draws People to God More. As we care for those around us, we are in turn cooperating with God as colabourer with God in his work. In other words He is working through us thereby fulfilling His desires for His creation. Those who serve also derives unprecedented blessings including drawing closer to God, becoming fruitful and supportive of those we serve. You must be an answer to your neighbours’ prayer by serving God through serving others. In this difficult period in our nation where the cost of a bag of rice is higher than minimum wage, the people of God must show concern for one another and the dying world. It is high time we think more of what to do for others to better their lots. One of the reasons why Satan and the world are not respecting the Christians today is the attitude of self-centeredness. Everyone minds his or her territory trying to outdo one another in mundane things. It was not so during the early Church.  In Acts 2: 44-47 the Bible says, “All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need.  Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved”

Serving God is not only meant to bless the servant of God but leads to our joy, miracles, fulfillment of divine mandate and turning lives to the Kingdom of God. Ask God to grant you opportunities to serve your neighbours. Closed doors of blessings in your life will be opened in Jesus name.