A Passion to Serve

Alright. Here we go again, another beautiful Monday morning. (Is that even possible, ya’ know a beautiful Monday morning?) If anyone knows about a pastor’s life then you know that July is the busiest month of your life. With all the camps, mission trips, VBS, and your own measly attempt at a vacation. Today is my first day of a mini-vacation so I guess it qualifies to be a beautiful Monday morning.
Week before last I spent the first half of the week in Columbus, IN helping to rebuild houses for people who lost everything in the flood last month. We took eleven people down; six from our church  and five from another. Last week I also spent twenty four hours at the hospital with a family, had a board meeting, played in a golf scramble with some church folks, preached a Sunday sermon, and went to Marion for my own ordination service. That is just the tip of the iceberg for a pastor in July.
The time in Columbus serving with other brothers and sisters in Christ was very special. We enjoyed immense fellowship and were very blessed to have the opportunity to serve those in need in the name and out of the love of Christ. Pastor Mark is an awesome guy and my “brother from another mother.” The people whose houses we worked on were so appreciative and you could tell that through the devastation of their lives being torn apart that they had truly met Christ face to face in the willingness of the Christians in that area and around the state to answer the call to help.
The ordination service was a special time for me personally because it brought to fruition a six and a half year quest. My first official day in the ministry was Jan. 1, 2002 and I began as a 30 year old ministerial student and youth pastor. Six years later I have gone through numerous courses, became a licensed minister, moved to Indiana for a different youth ministry position, have moved even further north in Indiana to become a senior pastor, and am now an ordained minister in The Wesleyan Church. It was fun to spend time with other minister friends reminiscing about the journey it took to get here. Let me point out that I have not finished anything. I have only finally made it to the starting block!
That week was special for me, but it was special only because God has instilled in His children a desire to serve Him. All that has happened in my life this past week has been evidence of a passion to serve God not only on my part but on the part of countless others. Some of whom I have had the pleasure of actually crossing paths with and some of whom I am simply reaping the benefits of the legacy left behind by their passion to serve. This week’s evidence of holiness is just that. A passion to serve God.
Both Drury and DeNeff list as an evidence that of our passion to serve God. Is it the believer’s one true passion or is it just a hobby for the weekends or when there is time? Do they think about God, talk about God, talk to God more and more than ever before? Would it be the last thing they would give up or would it be given up before anything else? Have they given anything up for it or have they kept it to times and areas that are convenient for them? Is obeying God the most important thing in their life? How about others; are they attracted to God because of this person? Are they trying to pack the bus as in the first article in this series? Is there any fruit from their ministries? If anything takes priority over God then sanctification is probably not theirs yet.
Time and again Jesus asked prospective followers to give up everything to follow Him and some just could not pay the price. There was the rich young man who did not want to sell all that he owned and give it to others; then there was the other who asked if he could wait until his father passed to follow. Both went away, of their own accord, dejected because they could not pay the price. The message was clear, nothing and He means nothing, is to be more important in the believer’s life than God.
If a believer is serving God than the believer is serving others because the one true passion of God’s heart is people. After all, He created them.
Have a great week! Talk to me!