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Written by Nancy Ruegge for “From The Inside Out” @ http://nancyaruegg.com
View original post @ https://nancyaruegg.com/2024/08/22/the-most-comfortable-and-pleasant-life/
The Most Comfortable and Pleasant Life
August 22, 2024 by Nancy Ruegg
Jeremy, Age 3
When our younger son Jeremy was about three, and people would ask, “What would you like to be when you grow up?” he offered a unique response: fire truck.
Well-meaning folks tried to amend his answer. “You mean a fire fighter?”
“No!” he’d state emphatically. “A fire truck!”
No doubt the blaring siren and rumbling engine appealed to our rambunctious little boy who liked all things noisy, but didn’t understand the parameters of adult vocation.
There’s another response to that quintessential question of adults-to-children, one that would also surprise: “I want to be a servant!”
Truth is though, scripture has a lot to say about all of us taking on the role of servant. One website lists one hundred verses on the topic [1].
And though serving others may require sacrifice, God is quick to bless us when we do. The list of benefits happens to make a tidy acrostic too.
To be a servant of God produces the following in our lives:
S atisfaction
Jesus said, “It is more blessed to give than receive”[2], which applies to money and gifts, of course, but also to the giving of time and effort.
Life is more meaningful when we touch and bless the lives of others”
—Carole Ladd, Thrive, Don’t Simply Survive, 186.
E nablement
We tend to look at our feeble capacities and forget that results don’t depend on our competence, but God’s perfect proficiency working through us.
In fact, God has promised to equip us with everything we’ll need in order to serve according to his directives [3].
R eward
Scripture makes clear: Upon our arrival in heaven, our gracious heavenly Father will reward us for our good deeds—rewards that will be just as good and perfect as he is.
But some rewards come immediately, such as the joy and satisfaction mentioned above. God has engineered our spirits to be refreshed as we seek to refresh others [4].
V alue
God values servanthood. He sent his own beloved Son, the King of the universe, to this earth in order to serve others.
And know this: nothing we do for him will be a waste of time or effort [5].
A ccolades
When Jesus returns to earth, “each will receive their praise from God” (1 Corinthians 4:5). Note the Apostle Paul doesn’t say the only ones to receive praise will be the best-of-the-best with a long list of impressive achievements.
No, God will praise each of us for the good we’ve accomplished—the kind words we’ve spoken, the attentive listening we’ve offered, even the menial tasks we’ve completed—because “faithfulness with a small thing is a big thing” (Hudson Taylor).
And one day we’ll hear that glorious commendation from God himself: “Well done, good and faithful servant” [6].
N obility
No, God’s servants don’t become lords and ladies or dukes and duchesses. It’s another definition for nobility that applies here, a definition that includes virtue, goodness, and honor.
Actually, the title of “Lord’s servant” is a high honor bestowed upon just a handful of people in the Old Testament, including Abraham, Moses, David, and Isaiah [7].
It’s a title we can wear with righteous pride!
T hriving
In 1714 pastor/Bible commentator Matthew Henry lay dying. He was only fifty-three, and had already buried his first wife and three of his children.
Henry might have been bitter, but he said to a friend, “A life spent in the service of God, and communion with Him, is the most comfortable and pleasant life that one can live in the present world” [8].
And that gift of “a most comfortable and pleasant life” may be ours also, as we choose to live in communion with God and spend our lives in His service.
* * * * * * * * * *
Lord God, may I contentedly express my love for you by serving others, delighting in what you empower me to do for your sake.
P.S. That little guy who wanted to be a fire truck? He’s now a pastor.
Pastor Jeremy
[1] https://kingdomway.ca/100-bible-verses-on-serving-others/
[2] Acts 20:35
[3] Philippians 2:13
[4] Ephesians 6:7-8; Proverbs 11:25b
[5] Mark 10:45; 1 Corinthians 15:58
[6] 1 Corinthians 4:5; Matthew 25:11
[7] Based on Margaret Feinberg’s observations in Wonderstruck, 119.
[8] https://www.wholesomewords.org/biography/bhenry6.html
Photo credits: Nancy Ruegg; http://www.pexels.com; http://www.flickr.com; http://www.canva.com; http://www.nara.getarchive.net; Nancy Ruegg.
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P.S. (from bruce) When there is no other place to turn…turn to God !! If you’re not a “born again” Christian, is the Holy Spirit urging you to open this link ?? Here is the truth about how God’s grace is received to become a Christian in God’s eyes; through understanding and obeying the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ… https://godsmanforever.com
To my brothers and sisters in Christ, please feel free to share this message of the cross with those in need…
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