Today’s reading comes from Mark chapter 9, versus 33-37. Nice and short…but good things can come in little packages can’t they? (Not something I have mastered yet!)
Today’s message: Serving…
This is a message of Jesus that I have been hearing as of lately; this is part of the reason Jesus came to Earth. He came to show us how to bring Heaven to Earth – not in some distant future time…but now, ahora…today in this present age. He tells us that the greatest commandment is to Love God…and that the 2nd is like this – to Love others as we love ourselves.
The more I think about this concept of serving..the more I realize that if I truly live this model that I so clearly see Jesus living – then I am bringing a little bit of Heaven down to Earth. That hopefully, this will have a “pay it forward” effect and that others will continue to bring Heaven down to Earth. These thoughts are mostly spurred on by Rob Bell’s book “Love Wins” among other sermons that have changed my views about where Heaven might be…and this is admittedly another area of my life I feel I have gotten utterly wrong. I used to believe in the Rapture and that the time was drawing nearer and nearer for Jesus’ return. That I needed to be out telling people about Jesus and how they needed to believe on Him in order to get that “golden ticket” to get into heaven. That our planet and our culture was getting worse and worse..as the exponential result of sin. That we were getting further and further from the Judeo-Christian values that America was so well known for.
Not to say that Jesus’ return isn’t near…but now I see that there is a different way to look at things. However, as John O. preached around this time last year, I realized that Christians have been at the center of a LOT of the “advancements” in our society throughout the decades and centuries. Hospitals, universities and colleges, humanitarian non-profits…a lot of them have been started by Christians. Other things in our culture and world are a LOT better than they were in Jesus’ time and before:
* no more child/adult sacrifices (at least not that I know of);
* the barriers to race continue to fall;
* slavery of the Africans has been irradiated for the most part while we are now diligently fighting for a new type of slavery to be also irradiated;
* children have become an important and functioning part of our society;
* women have and continue to gain the rights of modern day societies…and hopefully along with it the belief that women and men are truly equal in value and worth will continue to propagate the world.
* our realization as people that the environment – which is God’s creation and that we were given a mandate to take care of it – is important and we are now taking steps to reverse the damage we have done…so that in the end we can all lead healthier lives!
* a big one that I see changing the world – that everyone has feelings that need to be explored and taught that they matter…and how to help people properly handle those feelings so they can be a mature adult.
I could expand on all of these thoughts…but my main point is that things ARE getting better in some ways…that the picture of doom and gloom I used to believe in was just a matter of the NEGATIVE perspective I was buying into. I was always sadden by this because I have always loved traveling and seeing God’s creation…and that it will be so sad to die and not see as much of it as possible. Seeing that time and money are a constraint …it is quite likely that I will die without seeing all I want to see. Yet, what if Heaven is really here? What if I change my thoughts (rephrasing my mind!) to realize that I don’t have to wait for Heaven…but that I can be an active participant in BRINGING on Heaven??
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| Wow – this looks like a great book to add to my library! |
Would this change my excuses as to why I cannot get out and serve others more? Before, I was focused somewhat on serving…trying to do my part as much as possible with 2 young kids. But it was always with this sense of urgency and hurriedness, obligation. I did it because I was commanded to…yet my tank was so empty that the serving was draining for me – not fulfilling. I know I was serving and that God honored that…but looking back I don’t think it was serving to where I am gifted or called. I did not know myself enough to know that there are better ways to serve. My underlying thinking was all wrong.
Now, I am asking myself things like: What if LOVE was the driving force of me serving…not the urgency of trying to get as many people into heaven as possible? Would this free me from the bondage of doing something out of obligation…as a “have to” or a “should do”….allowing me freedom to chose to do it based out of the love I have received instead? What if I took an honest look at what I am passionate about, love doing, what I care about…what gives me energy and enthusiasm…instead of just hearing a need and thinking “I should do that”? Would my serving be more effective and more genuine? Would it show the love of God more clearly?
The questions could go on and on…but I need to go “serve” my children now. However, I pray that you will spend time with these questions – and those you come up with for yourself. Whether you are part of a church or some faith-based community…I am positive that you have felt the benefits of being served…and hopefully of serving. I would encourage you to make a list of all the ways you have been served in your life personally – by family, friends, teachers/coaches and even strangers. Then make a list of the positive things you have done for others…whether organized or not. This is not an exercise to do in order to bring about guilt and shame…but to help you realize the benefits you have received and given…as a way to focus on the positives and engage that energy to go out and help you discover what your unique way of serving is. Your way will look differently from mine, and mine will look differently from Mary Jane’s over there…for we are all made uniquely and creatively in order to “fill in the gaps” of others where needed.
Furthermore, know that when you are serving – in conventional and unconventional ways…that you personally are connecting to the God that made you and you personally are doing your part to bring Heaven to Earth in the here and now. Pretty cool thought – isn’t it?
