In His Service

“If I am to live in the flesh,
that means fruitful labor for me…”
Philippians 1:22 (LITV)

The servant of the Lord is to always be occupied. There is something ever at work within the heart of one who is being set apart for the Master’s use. Within the context of modern life, the distractions are many. The electronic world with all its noise and enticements often lures us away from solitude and communion with Him. Our ability to give Him time to shape our thinking and thus set our priorities aright is often distorted and interrupted by the world-wide-web. Even the title of this monstrosity ought to give us pause to consider its sphere of influence within our private lives.

“And He said unto them,
Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place,
and rest a while…”
Mark 6:31

The Call of the Master is often to a desert place, a place free from the commotion and din of human activity. It is in our communion with Him that we find rest and touch again His Will and purposes. To be occupied in Him is to be free from the dictates of the world.

As Jesus declared, one cannot serve two masters. There is no middle ground for the disciple. The Christian world of activity, the voices of the organizations, and the agendas of well-meaning people must be left behind if we would be set on serving Him alone.

In His Service

Paul never allowed himself the distraction of serving human endeavors. His eye was single, and his heart was set upon Christ and Him crucified. Something is unnerving to the natural man about his dedication to Christ alone.

“For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.”
Galatians 1:10

The Will of God cuts across the lines of human affinity. It requires the deep workings of the cross to free us from the deception of our own selves, for the inherent need for approval and acceptance. To serve Him necessitates my abandonment of self. There is something innately opposed to this life resident in every individual. The core of religious life would present to us a life of appearance for others to take note of our “spiritual” progress. There is a secret, unspoken idea or “vision” that can be injected into the party spirit that brings a subtle suggestion for us to conform and can lead us away from the “master’s use”.

The purpose of all valid ministry is to bring men and women to their own subjection to the Will of God. A spiritual poverty accompanies those who find themselves serving something other than the Will of God.

When Paul declared:

“For I have promised you to one Man,
to present you a pure virgin to Christ…”
2 Corinthians 11:2 (LITV)

He revealed his passion for true and pure ministry. He was dead to seeking the approval of men, he was free from the agendas of some organization, or seemingly good endeavors. His selfless interest in every life he encountered was to bring everyone into the sphere of being fully occupied with the Will of God.

“But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.”
Galatians 6:14

Related Article: The Working of Faith

Abandonment
is the trademark
of a
Disciple of Christ.

Brian Troxel