Just Another Time Slot on Your Busy Schedule?

When the Bible tells us about Mary and Martha in Luke 10, it says that Martha was “cumbered about much serving.”  “Cumbered about” means drawn away, distracted and over-occupied.  Jesus described Martha as “careful and troubled about many things.”  Martha was busy.  She was over-booked, distracted, and troubled.  Mary recognized that the most needful thing in her schedule was sitting at Jesus’ feet and hearing His Word.  One thing we learn from this story is that what we do with Jesus is far more important than what we do for Jesus.

Sometimes in our busyness we can neglect our relationship with the Lord.  Serving can be an act of worship–or it can be just another part of our busy schedule.  It all depends on our heart.

Running to Win

More than once in the Old Testament,the Bible sums up the leadership of various kings with a declaration such as “he did what was good in the sight of the Lord” or “he did what was evil in the sight of the Lord.”  Those descriptions seem vague at best, and leave much to the imagination.  Does the sum total of a leader’s reign boil down to the pronouncement “good king” or “bad king”?

However, there are places where scripture expounds more fully.  For instance,  II Chronicles 26:5 says of King Uzziah that “as long as he sought the Lord, God made him prosper.”  II Chronicles 31:21 says of King Hezekiah that in every work he sought the Lord and “he did it with all his heart.  So he prospered.”   God prospered those leaders who sought to do God’s will with their whole hearts.  It seems like the Bible is saying that when a leader has the determination, courage, and passion to seek God with his whole heart, God sees and rewards him.

One particularly convicting evaluation is found in II Chronicles 25:2, where King’s Amaziah’s leadership was described: “He did what was right in the sight of the Lord, but not with a loyal (whole, perfect) heart.”  We have all been guilty of doing a half-hearted job of serving others, with a less than perfect attitude.  This should not satisfy us, and we know it doesn’t please God.

I Corinthians 9:24 says “Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain [it].”  Doing God’s will wholeheartedly is not a casual, take it or leave it, “just-glad-I-finished-the-race” attitude.  This is a pressing forward to serve God  in such a way that the prize is won. As women’s leaders, we shouldn’t be satisfied to just get the job done.  We would be wise to serve God with a determination and passion, and to seek God with our whole heart.  God notices, and He rewards it.

Our “Backbone”

I was at a prayer meeting recently where one of the ladies declared:  “Lord, You are our backbone.”  It made me think.  When we think of someone as “having a backbone,” we normally consider their character, their courage and their firm resolve, as opposed to someone who is “spineless” and wishy-washy.  One with “backbone” does not back down under pressure and can not be manipulated.  Certainly the Lord can be said to have “backbone.”  His character is one of firm resolve.  He determines to keep His Word, and He does not change.

Physically, a backbone is the fundamental support system of an organism, the main source of support and stability.  We take for granted the stability provided by our spine, unless we have back problems.  Those dealing with back problems are very aware that nearly every activity is dependent upon the strength of the backbone.  Likewise, the Lord is our source of support and stability.  We have all learned that striving to serve in our own strength is worthless in the long run.

Yes, the Lord truly is our backbone.   The Bible expresses the same thought when it declares God as our “Rock,” our “Fortress” and an “Anchor.”  He is solid, unmoving, steadfast and reliable.  Our “Backbone” enables us to be “steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord” (I Cor. 15:58); to be  “steadfast and grounded and not moved away from the hope of the gospel” (Col. 1:23).  We need to rely on our Heavenly “Backbone” so that we can say with the psalmist “I will not be moved!” (Psalm 62:6) and with Paul “None of these things move me!” (Acts 20:24).

Are You Addicted?

“Addicted.” The word has mostly negative connotations.  One who is addicted to work we sometimes refer to as a “work-aholic.”  Another might be “addicted to football,” “addicted to reading” or “addicted to the Internet.”  But, for the most part, I think people relate the word “addicted” to a compulsion or dependence upon a harmful substance like drugs or alcohol.  Addiction can be defined as the “state of being enslaved to a habit or practice or to something that is psychologically or physically habit-forming, to such an extent that its cessation causes severe trauma.”  When someone is addicted, they have no effective choice but to continue the habit–they are in bondage to the habit.

But did you know that the Bible uses the word “addicted” with a positive slant?   Paul describes the household of Stephanas by saying “they have addicted themselves to the ministry of the saints.” in I Cor. 16:15 (KJV).  New King James uses the word “devoted”.   The Greek word means that they had “set themselves” to the ministry of the saints.

I guess I like the King James version.  The word “addicted” adds so much color to the word picture.  The household of Stephanas had a habit of serving and ministering to the saints, and they had no choice but to continue!  To stop serving would cause severe trauma!  Oh, to be addicted to the ministry of the saints.  That would be a good addiction, among the many things of the world that vie for our devotion.