I’m fortunate… One of the blessed who get to serve God full time as my vocation. I am not alone. I have many brothers and sisters who also have this honor. Right now I am thinking of my Mozambican family. They work hard, they love their Lord, and for this past week they have been meeting together to grow, receive training and to baptize 36 new believers! What joy! What privilege!
If you have not yet discovered the joy of serving God … well … you’re missing out on one of the greatest joys a believer in Christ can experience. It takes a bit of experimenting though to figure out where you fit, what you are gifted at, and what God has called you to do.
My first exposure to ministry was as a Sunday School teacher. I was only 16 and I was TERRIBLE!!! No one gave me any instructions on how to do it. I was handed a book and let loose. I would finish the lessons so quickly that we soon began playing games to fill in the time left, one of which was tag in the dark! When I left teaching Sunday School the kids were really sad to discover that their new teacher had far less time to play games and definitely didn’t let them play in the dark … Oops …
My next foray into ministry was working at a summer camp. Camp Tadmor. What a wonderful time! I loved every minute of it! It was overwhelming, exhausting, and filled with joy. I did everything from washing dishes, to driving a backhoe, to counseling kids and leading them to the Lord. It was where I grew up in Christ. It was where I fell in love with serving Him.
I’m still in love with serving Him. Only now I’m no longer working at a summer camp. Now I am preparing to work a world away in Africa. The joy is still there. The excitement has never waned. The greatest thing you can ever do is to find your place of ministry. It may be encouraging folks who are going through a tough time. It may be as a Sunday School teacher. It may be as a missionary or pastor. Whatever it is, the honor of serving God will be one of the greatest things you will ever do.
Please pray for these brothers and sisters who labor so hard for their Lord. Pray that God would multiply them and bring more folks to worship and serve Him. Pray that God would supply all their needs both physically and spiritually. Pray that they would know the joy of serving the Lord each and every day.
