The Father's Way

“For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Mark 10:45 (NIV)

It was a normal, ordinary day at track practice. I was in college going over a new hurdle workout with my coach when the most unexpected thing happened…I slammed into a hurdle, flipped upside down in the air, caught myself on the way down with my left hand, and broke my left wrist. I was shocked. I was hurt. I had surgery and went through extensive physical therapy. In fact, I still have a titanium screw in my wrist and little scar as a reminder.

BUT the thing I remember the most is that God taught me two very important lessons:

1. The power of service in the life of a believer
2. How to ask for help

I will never forget how one of my friends (not even one I would have considerrd a “best friend”), stepped up and served me during that time. She was incredibly strong in her walk with the Lord, she was fun, and she was busy. She volunteered a lot with Athletes in Action/Fellowship of Christian Athletes and she was on our college soccer team. Yet, after I had surgery, she drove out of her way to pick me up and take me to class and take me back home. She even stayed at my house a few times and helped me with little things like putting my hair up in a pony tail. Looking back she acted like so much more than a great friend; she showed me the love of Christ. She showed me faith in action.

The second concept, asking for help, was also a novel idea to me. I had always been pretty self-sufficient and independent (or so I thought), but God was teaching me that I needed the body of believers. I could not do everything on my own, and I needed to ask for help. We are blessed and allow others to be a blessing when we simply learn to ask for and accept help. There are no extra points for doing everything on your own. In fact, God’s word makes it very clear that we can do nothing apart from Him (John 15:5). Through this injury, God was teaching me to that I was not a self-made girl. Everything good that I had done was with his help and the help of others…whether I had realized that before or not.

So, in what ways can you put action to your faith and serve those in your sphere of influence? In what area of your life can you experience the beauty of the body of faith by asking for help?

Heavenly Father,
Everything begins and ends with you. You are our light-bearer. You are our rock. You are the source of our salvation. You are the Creator of the entire world, yet you served us. You sent your son, Jesus, to model you for us, and he served. He even washed the dirty, sandy-laden feet of his disciples. Please help us to follow in your ways and to serve others in a way that truly pleases you. And God in those times when we are worn out, please help us to humble ourselves and ask for help so that we can be blessed by the body of believers. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

"Celebration of a Servant" by Guest Blogger Patrice

I've been blessed to spend the most important day of the year with my daughter at Moody Bible Institute. I arrived in Chicago early Thursday morning when I grabbed a cab, arrived at the school and toured the the D.L. Moody museum anxiously waiting for her to get out of class. Wasn't long and I saw my girl go by.  What a sweet reunion! We dashed off to chapel to celebrate Maundy Thursday.

Maundy is where we get the English word “mandate.” This day observes the significance of Jesus' new commandment to “love one another as I have loved you”--given to His disciples at the Last Supper. Christ's act of foot washing demonstrated the servanthood that Jesus enjoins upon all who follow him.

Students and faculty members led the service of public worship which included a time of foot washing when the congregation could follow Christ's example of humble servitude. After a great sermon and  beautiful hymns, I needed my tissues from that point on.

After Maundy Thursday came Good Friday. The service at Harvest Bible Chapel that night was exceptionally somber. We wore black to church and entered the lobby to find darkness, smoke, and men carrying beams of lumber. The clanking of nails that resonated through the lobby immediately brought our focus to the main attraction of the night: the Cross. We watched a video of a man constructing a cross.  From the cutting down of the tree to the engraving of his initials upon his work, we were to put ourselves in the place of that carpenter. We were the ones who built the structure upon which the Righteous Servant died.

Mark 10:45 says, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” 

 These are the words I know will remain with me as I board a plane Easter Sunday back to Florida. I must remember that Jesus is not only my Lord but my Savior, Whose stripes heal me.   Let us not forget His physical pain but also Christ's immeasurable torture when His Father turned His back upon Him. My prayer for you is that next time you look at a cross you remember who its chief constructor is. The next time you sing a song about Christ's blood, you consider who it was meant for. This Easter, may we view our gift of grace through the lens of the Cross and the Righteous Servant that died upon it.

Parenting vs. Ministering

The Ladies Bible study started at our church yesterday!  I didn’t sleep well the night before because I was excited to see what God was going to do.  Our pastor’s wife delivered the introduction to our new topic.  The room was filled with ladies three different times. With so many ladies you can be sure childcare was also filled. 

 image found here: google search

Our youngest, Hope (she is our seventh grader) came in to Bible study as school finished.  She was quick to ask the director of the study how childcare went.  She told Hope that there was a high amount of children and a low amount of volunteers.  Hope, without hesitation considered how she could get out of her classes the following week to help the need in childcare.

Her desire to leave school is not because she dislikes school, its because she loves the children and sees her help as valuable.

I love Hope’s perspective and am embarrassed and humbled by my own. She saw a need and offered to minister, to be a servant. She simply tried to find a way to help.

Occasionally, I slow down long enough to hear God’s still voice.  It comes in the form of hearing the same scripture, the same prompt of the Spirit, the same burden over and over throughout a small span of time.  This week I have recognized the repetitive term, “minister.”

I have specifically considered that term as it pertains to my family. It has been easy for me with some sort of “spiritualese” to say, “My family is my ministry.”  However, to look at my husband and think, “how can I minister to him?” or to talk to our children and consider “how can I minister to our children?” revolutionizes my responses to them.

Here is an example of the change of thought.  My oldest daughter called last night to chat about her anxieties over a new job and their only car that can’t seem to get out of the mechanic shop.  There was a shift from, “I need to parent her” to “how can I minister to her.”

Drew (our son in college three states away) later called to “check in.”  Again, the conversation changed when I altered my mind from mentally parenting him to considering how I could minister to him.

Surely, it must be semantics. In the literal picture of Jesus walking through the unpaved, stone scattered paths of Israel.   I see the God-man, look down at His disciples feet.  Maybe He thought as a parent, “boy those are some stinkin’ feet they better get down to the Sea for a scrub.”  I love the picture that Jesus, filled to compassion, grabbed a towel and dropped to His knees to minister to His disciples.

Why did He do it? Although only a guess, but surely He practically saw they needed their feet cleansed.  But He also washed their feet as an example for us, for me.  He lovingly ministered to those He was closest to.

I am realizing I am so close to my family we just “do life to life together.”  You know, the practical everyday household chores.  When in fact, I need to consider how I can minister to each of them.

Will you join me in an all out day of ministry?  A day where we consider looking at our husbands and children through Christ’s eyes and consider how we can minister to each?

John 13: 4 & 5

4So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, 5and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him.