Serve God!
We've seen the words of Joshua this week telling us to be very careful to keep God's commandments - that means to love God, to obey Him and keep His commandments, and to hold fast to him, cling to him. And then Joshua closes his little verse by saying “And serve him with all your heart and with all your soul.” Serve Him.
Faith in Action: Transforming Hearts and Communities
A man named Matthew Parris wrote a column in the London Times in 2008. He's an atheist, and he said this "As an atheist, I truly believe Africa needs God." And in the article, he talks about how government programs and international aid helps people, but then he said this: "These alone will not do. Education and training alone will not do. In Africa, Christianity changes people's hearts. It brings a spiritual transformation. The rebirth is real. The change is good.”
He’d spent some time in some rural areas and he'd seen a simple faith where people's lives were changed. And even though they didn't have much, they served in such a way that even though he wasn't a Christian, he saw that real Christianity changes the world.
I don't know what he's doing now, this man, and I pray that he has come to faith. But our lesson today is this: real Christians serve. Real Christians serve in such a way that even non-Christians see that our faith makes a positive impact in this world.
Serving Others: A Testament of Faith
Let's serve God by serving others! Let’s serve God by bringing His love and his transformation into this world. Let's quit our selfish ways and our very narrow faith and look for ways to do good, because I truly believe that it's when we serve that people start to see Christ in us.
Of course, our ultimate goal is for sinners to be saved, for people to find salvation through Christ. But friends, if the world sees us as uncaring people, they're not going to even take our message of redemption seriously. But if they see redemptive acts coming from people of God, they're going to want to know who this Jesus. Let us be people who serve God by serving others.
What a wise way of living Joshua underlines for us. Will you commit to it today? I pray that you will. God bless your friends. Have a blessed weekend and may you live wisely every day.
