Acts 2:38-42
Peter said, “Turn back to
God! Be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, so that your sins will be
forgiven. Then you will be given the Holy Spirit. This promise is for
you and your children. It is for everyone our Lord God will choose, no
matter where they live.”
Peter told them many other things as
well. Then he said, “I beg you to save yourselves from what will happen
to all these evil people.” On that day about three thousand believed his
message and were baptized. They spent their time learning from the
apostles, and they were like family to each other. They also broke bread
and prayed together.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Three-year-olds
can as a LOT of questions…and most start with the word “Why?” And this
is a question I have asked myself quite often lately. WHY do we do
some of the things I do? WHY do we make sure our little ones get to
church almost every Sunday? WHY do I spend time writing daily
devotionals? WHY does Greg spend a good part of his Monday mornings (and
sometimes other days) delivering Meals on Wheels to some fourteen
people…and take time to stop and visit with them, inquire about their
well-being, offer a smile and a word or two of encouragement? WHY does
he do so much for so many others every week, including me? WHY do we
give to charitable organizations and contribute to our church? WHY do
we do what we can to share kindness and the love of Christ with others?
In a nutshell, WHY do we bother? Because, as I understand
scripture - and as Jesus demonstrated in saving the thief on the cross -
we don’t technically have to do any of these things in order to be
cleansed of our sins by the blood of Jesus. As long as we confess our
sins and give our heart to Jesus, we are still guaranteed a seat at His
table in heaven…and a “mansion” all our own. So why bother with serving
Jesus on this earth? What does it really matter?
The answer
lies in this scripture passage from Acts 2…and throughout the New
Testament writings. Peter demonstrated this by preaching and
teaching…by telling others about Jesus. In the Living Bible, verse 40
says that he “preached a long sermon, telling about Jesus.” And then we
read that they crowd fellowshipped together and even shared a meal and
prayer time…that they treated each other like family.
Suppose you
were up to your ears in debt and had a mountain of troubles, ranging
from health issues to figuring out how to juggle a job and family
obligations…and someone stepped in to help you – a “benefactor” of sorts
who paid your debts, physically aided you with other challenges, and
was generally available whenever and however you needed assistance.
This person assured you that nothing was required in return…that this
was a gift to you bestowed out of love and concern.
At the very
least, wouldn’t you want to treat this person with the utmost respect
and care? Wouldn’t you seek ways to do little things for someone who
did so much for you? Wouldn’t take every opportunity to speak kindly of
this person to others…to let them know that he/she was someone for whom
you had utmost admiration and esteem?
Substitute Jesus for this
“benefactor” - and your sins for the debts. Insert your daily
challenges for the issues that a human being might help you with and
think of how the Holy Spirit helps you navigate the choppy waters of
life. Now ask yourself WHY you would serve the needy, encourage those
in your circle of influence to worship, and demonstrate kindness and
concern to others. It’s because these things are the least we can do
for the ONE who has done everything for us.
Jesus doesn’t
require this of us…although He did call us to serve. He doesn’t stomp
His foot or “write us out of the will” if we don’t comply. Jesus
doesn’t want us to serve out of obligation…but out of love and
appreciation for all that He has given us. And this is why I do what I
do - out of profound gratitude and affection for my Lord and Savior…my
Jesus! What about you?
©2016 Debbie Robus
Showing posts with label why we serve God. Show all posts
Showing posts with label why we serve God. Show all posts
Daily Devotional for April 5, 2012
April 5 ~ 2 Corinthians 5:14-15
That keeps us vigilant, you can be sure. It's no light thing to know that we'll all one day stand in that place of Judgment. That's why we work urgently with everyone we meet to get them ready to face God. God alone knows how well we do this, but I hope you realize how much and deeply we care. We're not saying this to make ourselves look good to you. We just thought it would make you feel good, proud even, that we're on your side and not just nice to your face as so many people are. If I acted crazy, I did it for God; if I acted overly serious, I did it for you. Christ's love has moved me to such extremes. His love has the first and last word in everything we do.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
In the 1970s, a comedian named Flip Wilson hosted a variety show on television, which featured several short skits during a one-hour format. One of Wilson’s characters was “Geraldine Jones” (actually Wilson dressed as a woman). Geraldine had a boyfriend named “Killer,” and one of her signature quips was, “The devil made me do it!”… as in “The devil made me buy this dress!” Wilson also made famous the line, “What you see is what you get!” While we like to joke that “the devil made me do it,” the truth is that we are listening to Satan more often than we care to admit!
If we are honest, we have to concede that the suggestions the devil whispers in our ear are frequently the source of our motivation for all sorts of words and actions. On Judgment Day, the excuse that “the devil made me do it,” is not going to pass muster with God! And “what you see is what you get” won’t work with God, either… if what He sees is someone who was motivated by Satan most of the time!
I do not want you to change your motivation to love God and serve Him out of a sense of fear. I operated far too long in fear of God’s retribution, and my relationship with Him suffered as a result. Fear may be a great motivator on some levels, but in the end, you are left with a sense of great burden… and maybe even guilt and shame. However, when we are motivated to love God and serve Him out of a sense of gratitude for all He has done for us, the entire relationship changes.
Operating from a position of love and humility… a desire to do as much as possible for the One who has done incredible, unfathomable things for us… breeds an atmosphere of joy and pride – not in ourselves, but in the great blessings and gifts God bestows. When we are motivated to do something out of deep love or gratitude… or even a desire to bless someone else in some manner… the end result is moving – and often joyful – for everyone concerned. When we operate out of a feeling of obligation or fear, we may achieve a desired result… but will we resent the steps taken to get there?
God wants us to be continually motivated to love and serve out of a deep abiding sense of love and gratitude. He wants us to stop playing games and listening to the devil… and living for Him only out of a fear to live otherwise. When we say “What you see is what you get,” God wants others to see genuine love and our desire to be all that we can be as faith-filled Christians.
Today, as we think of what Jesus sacrificed for us on the cross… as we imagine Him kneeling in the Garden of Gethsemane and humbling Himself before God… let’s ask ourselves, “What motivated Jesus so long ago to die for us? What motivates us today to serve Him in return?”
©2012 Debbie Robus
That keeps us vigilant, you can be sure. It's no light thing to know that we'll all one day stand in that place of Judgment. That's why we work urgently with everyone we meet to get them ready to face God. God alone knows how well we do this, but I hope you realize how much and deeply we care. We're not saying this to make ourselves look good to you. We just thought it would make you feel good, proud even, that we're on your side and not just nice to your face as so many people are. If I acted crazy, I did it for God; if I acted overly serious, I did it for you. Christ's love has moved me to such extremes. His love has the first and last word in everything we do.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
In the 1970s, a comedian named Flip Wilson hosted a variety show on television, which featured several short skits during a one-hour format. One of Wilson’s characters was “Geraldine Jones” (actually Wilson dressed as a woman). Geraldine had a boyfriend named “Killer,” and one of her signature quips was, “The devil made me do it!”… as in “The devil made me buy this dress!” Wilson also made famous the line, “What you see is what you get!” While we like to joke that “the devil made me do it,” the truth is that we are listening to Satan more often than we care to admit!
If we are honest, we have to concede that the suggestions the devil whispers in our ear are frequently the source of our motivation for all sorts of words and actions. On Judgment Day, the excuse that “the devil made me do it,” is not going to pass muster with God! And “what you see is what you get” won’t work with God, either… if what He sees is someone who was motivated by Satan most of the time!
I do not want you to change your motivation to love God and serve Him out of a sense of fear. I operated far too long in fear of God’s retribution, and my relationship with Him suffered as a result. Fear may be a great motivator on some levels, but in the end, you are left with a sense of great burden… and maybe even guilt and shame. However, when we are motivated to love God and serve Him out of a sense of gratitude for all He has done for us, the entire relationship changes.
Operating from a position of love and humility… a desire to do as much as possible for the One who has done incredible, unfathomable things for us… breeds an atmosphere of joy and pride – not in ourselves, but in the great blessings and gifts God bestows. When we are motivated to do something out of deep love or gratitude… or even a desire to bless someone else in some manner… the end result is moving – and often joyful – for everyone concerned. When we operate out of a feeling of obligation or fear, we may achieve a desired result… but will we resent the steps taken to get there?
God wants us to be continually motivated to love and serve out of a deep abiding sense of love and gratitude. He wants us to stop playing games and listening to the devil… and living for Him only out of a fear to live otherwise. When we say “What you see is what you get,” God wants others to see genuine love and our desire to be all that we can be as faith-filled Christians.
Today, as we think of what Jesus sacrificed for us on the cross… as we imagine Him kneeling in the Garden of Gethsemane and humbling Himself before God… let’s ask ourselves, “What motivated Jesus so long ago to die for us? What motivates us today to serve Him in return?”
©2012 Debbie Robus
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