It’s Monday morning and we trust you’ve all had a blessed, safe and prosperous weekend. Now that we’re all back to work and hustling through our morning routines, there’s a question that came up in conversation this weekend about serving in various ministries at your local churches.
I, for example, have served in the music ministry every since I could begin going to church on my own. I’ve had my share of both singing, directing, organizing and teaching music to a vast array of choirs, vocal ensembles, bands and praise teams. Through staying faithful to the ministry, I’ve learned quite a bit about myself and dealing with people of all walks of life and spiritual upbringings. What’s unique about all of this is that I’ve come to a point where I now just want to go to church and be filled with the same inspiration I encourage others to find in their ministry or area of servitude.
Yesterday, I sat in the early morning service wondering if other people ever felt the same way I did. Just as quickly as the thought came to me, I caught myself saying “Thank you Lord.” Why? Because for a very short period of time, I began to doubt my gift and the benefits of learning how to perfect that gift through my years of servanthood in the church. In a matter of moments, I was reminded that my calling is not based on whether I feel like doing things for other people nor how selfish we can be sometimes when it comes to exposing others to the light that’s within us. Instead, the calling is based on the strength of my relationship with God, how faithful I am to Him and how many lives can be impacted through being faithful to unto God.
I wrote the word “chosen” down on my notepad and a familiar verse of scripture suddenly rang very clear once I saw the words. At the tail end of the parable of the wedding feast, Jesus spoke in Matthew 22:16 which says very simply that “Many are called but few are chosen.” For so long, I’ve heard that scripture and another that stuck out in my mind. Luke 12:48 also says, “But he who did not know, yet committed things deserving of stripes, shall be beaten with few. For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more.” So many times, we confuse that second portion of the verse with finances and material things, but in essence, I took this scripture for what it is truly saying in regards to my level of servitude. The scriptures instantly meant to me that because I am a member of a chosen generation, I am indeed blessed beyond measure and often more than I realize.
Therefore, since I am so blessed that means I have been given more spiritually that I must account for and share with the world, not hoard the gifts within me or become selfish in exposing believers and non-believers to the very sentiments of Christ’s heart. It hit me right then and there. Because I am filled with so much on the inside, there’s a certain level of responsibility I must maintain in order to be good steward over all that God has given me. Simply put, to whom much is given, much is required. In that moment, I began to thank God for the revelation in His word.
So today, I ask each of you to take a moment to say a prayer for all of those saints and friends you attend services with weekly who are up before the people during services, pouring their hearts out and assisting in leading you into worship. Pray for those members of your local churches who work tirelessly behind the scenes and never get the appreciation or acknowledgment they deserve. Pray for the leaders and their families so that they will remain faithful and not get weary in well doing.
There are some of us who have realized that what’s being required of us is not so laborious and draining as we perceive it to sometimes be. There are others who take for granted the platform and the opportunity to lead people to Christ. But for those of us who do realized that we are the chosen generation – a royal priesthood, a nation of God’s people who are blessed beyond comprehension – we acknowledge the presence of God in our lives and will strive to continue serving the people of God. No matter what your contribution is to the kingdom, no matter how big or small, trust me when I say it does count in the eyes and the sight of God. Serving in ministry is a tool, a direct connection to fulfilling God’s promises in the lives of His people. So I ask you, are you serving in ministry as proficiently as you could be?
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