pastorjohnb

Thoughts and musings on faith and our mighty God!

Tag Archives: servant


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The Servant of the Lord

In the midst of her confusion and perplexity, the angel Gabriel assures Mary with these words: “Nothing will be impossible with God.”  He focuses her in on this fact and she finds calm and determination as she sets herself for the task at hand.

For myself, and possibly for you, I want to live my life like I believe these words fully.  But at times I struggle to completely do so.  I can get in the way when I think I have the plan when God really does.  I can doubt when faced with wrenching tragedy when I can’t even begin to fathom how God is at work in the midst of it all.  Yet deep in my heart and soul, I know He has the plan and He is in the midst of the pain.

The possibility of these words keeps drawing me back to God.  We are drawn back because the truth is in these words.  The truth is echoed in Psalm 31:3 – “You are my rock and my fortress; for Your name’s sake You lead and guide me.”  Deep in our hearts we know that God can do anything.

Our challenge is to live out Mary’s words each day of our lives: “Here I am, the servant of the Lord; let it be according to your word.”

Scripture reference: Luke 1: 31-38


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The Master’s Sandals

John 13:34 – “A new command I give you: love one another.  As I have loved you, so you must love one another.”

Ephesians 4: 32 – “Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.”

 

I loved the show “Undercover Boss” – anyone else?  It was a great show.  If you’ve never seen it, the basics of the show was that the owner of a company would take an entry level position that usually involved some pretty basic ‘grunt’ work – and it was often dirty and disgusting and physically requiring.  Sometimes the boss could not even do the job and was fired!  But without fail the boss ended up seeing how important and hard-working these ‘lower’ level employees were and how underpaid or disrespected they were.  It was usually a very humbling experience for the company owner.

As Jesus knelt and washed the disciples feet, many of them must have felt very uncomfortable.  It was always the disciples who would wash the rabbi’s feet – never the other way around.  It just wasn’t how you do things.  But Jesus had a point.  The point is for us as well.  Serving others has no limitations or requirements or hierarchy.  None!  Just like the lower level employees in the TV show, all people are important.  All people matter.

True service is much more than helping out a good friend.  It is much more than taking the time on a lazy Saturday afternoon to help out at the thrift store.  A true servant’s heart does anything at anytime for anybody.  When we truly love one another, then we are walking in the Master’s sandals.