Serve

We celebrate the birthday of our oldest daughter and first child, Jennifer today. I gave her a card today, kind of an old fashioned one, with dresses hanging outside of a dresser....and thought how time flies..for she now is hanging up dresses for her own daughter. Life does fly by and I don't know about you but I sometimes wonder how did time get by me so fast....and where are the footprints, if any, that have been left behind..not just by me but by moments that have embedded lasting memories.

We are given one day at a time .... God has each of our days counted out and appropriated just for each of us. I had a visit with my son Tom last month and the conversation still lingers. He was talking about my devotionals...and he said something like I am surprised you have not pulled these to a higher level of not just impacting us personally but how we are to impact and serve others. Now mind you when we have a chance to visit one on one, we have discussions like these and they are wonderful...because so many times he sees things from a different perspective than I do. He is right...I don't take the opportunity to encourage serving enough...probably because I am not such a good server myself. I stay pretty close to family needs...and needs of close friends but when it comes to reaching out of my comfort zone..I am truly lacking!

Reflecting a moment on Jenn's birthday...and how fast time flies...it occurs to me that God has me on this earth for a purpose as he does for you....and that purpose is not just for my family...it is for my church, my community and my country. So what am I going to do to expand my service? It is this: My greatest feat to accomplish this goal is to listen and watch for a call from God that continues to tenderly gnaw at my heart....if I am suppose to get involved in one of God's purposed projects then he will let me know by continued thoughts and a gradual sense of pull towards his designated call. But I have ot be alert and have a true desire to be open minded and try to recognize what His call may be.

We are on this earth for only a while...and though most of us will not see the impact that our service may have had on the hearts of someone or something else...if God has swayed us to be involved then HE will know just how he will use our offered and humble service for his glory. I used the word humble here because I know too often, I do things for my own gratification and not God's glory.

Maybe it is time that I make adjustments to look outward....and not be so content with working on the inward. I know that many of you reading this are already involved in volunteer activities and helping others..probably some of your plates are even too full....because it is hard to say no to worthy causes...but just today, take a minute to evaluate what you are doing or not doing....is what you are doing God's call or is it your own.

There are countless things or programs or activities that we can get involved in...and they are good and useful but I am convinced that God has a calling for each of us that will use the gifts that he has created within us for his glory....that we might be overlooking. Think about your reasons....your priorities...that you have taken on what you have...or, in my case not taken on....
and ask God for His direction.

Galatians 5:13
[ Life by the Spirit ] You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh ; rather, serve one another humbly in love.

Time flies...by us each day...and we can not have that day back. I have wasted many hours...doing trivial things....today...I will seek God's direction as to how I can serve him best...for His glory. In His Service...I long to be. I know that I am called each day to extend his love and grace to those he has put in my path, but in addition he may steer me to a yet another trail....for his service....that is not or has not even been a remote consideration in my mind.

My prayer is that I would be faithfully ready to humbly serve God ...
1) with whoever God chooses for me to serve,
2) wherever God chooses for me to serve
3) and whenever God chooses for me to serve.

May I discern God's quest for my life and may you too discern yours..and may we not be swayed by merely the physical need and priority represented by man. For as time flies quickly by...I too want to leave the footprints that represent the God that I serve. Amen

Praise God wherever you are and whatever situation He has allowed you to be in . . . His glory will shine through!