Tennis players take turns serving the ball to their opponents…it zings over the net and the game is on. Serving a tennis ball is intentional; it takes timing and skill to place it in a strategic place on the opposite court.
Serving God is also intentional and to serve Him is to do so in His timing ~ His skill and strategy in our lives depend on our response to Him, doesn’t it?
To serve God is to honor Him and to pray, not only for ourselves, but for others who are serving Him.
Zechariah was a priest whose turn to serve God came, possibly a once-in-a-life-time opportunity.
(NASB) Luke 1:8-9 “Now it happened that while he was performing his priestly service before God in the appointed order of his division,
9 according to the custom of the priestly office, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense.”
Serve God…intentionally
Serve God…in His timing
Serve God…by honoring Him
Many people today commit to serving the Lord in some responsibility in their church, and then do not follow through. Whatever you or I do in our churches, we should do so with the attitude of honoring God (we have been called by Him to serve and in His timing). What a privilege to know that we are called to tell others of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Serving God is to do so with a clean conscience – recognizing our own sins and confessing them before we enter into the ,./service of our Lord. After this, to do our responsibility with reverence for Him with a sense of purpose in serving Him Who died that we might live.
(NASB) Luke 1:10 “And the whole multitude of the people were in prayer outside at the hour of the incense offering.”
Serve God…by praying
What is an interesting parallel with the burning of the incense inside the Holy Place and the people praying outside? Incense is a symbol of prayers going up to the throne of God. When you and I pray, our prayers are rising into God’s presence…awesome to consider.
As you worship, as you sit in a meeting, as you begin your day, pray! Pray for the Pastor, Priest or minister. Pray for the one who is leading the meeting. Pray for yourself to be in line with God and His word each day.
To serve God…be intentional, be in His timing, honor Him and pray.
