Serving Christ

What is serving? To serve means to be a slave according to Merriam-Webster dictionary etymology from Latin. As an intransitive verb, it means to be a servant, to do military or naval service, and to be of use to name a few. As a transitive verb, it means to attend, give respect to, gratify and to work through to name a few choices of definitions.

Just reflecting on various dictionary definitions reveals the sheer lack of service to Christ in everyday living. Not many people enjoy being told what to do. Servants in history and the non-professional service sector employees in contemporary service industry have this reality in common, serving or attending to their master or customer.

Because we are so used to the pattern and the principles of the market economy in everyday life, we often fail to detect how subconsciously or unconsciously we fail to submit to the authority and follow the priority of Christ. We say that we live for Christ, but living life according to the motivations of the Spirit and the matters of spiritual well being seems far removed from what we actually experience.

I need God's Word everyday because I discover my identity and roles as I listen, read, hear, remember, and meditate on the story of God who knows me. Through this knowledge of personally being known and loved, do I find a reason for desires, decisions, and deliberations in word and deed.

I need God's Spirit everyday because the Holy Spirit comforts, counsels, and coaches me to keep in step with Him so that I may follow Christ and be like him.

I need spiritual disciplines such as W.O.R.S.H.I.P. to follow through or to establish the coherence between God's Word and God's world.

W – Worship (corporate worship)

O – Open myself to God

R – Relinquish the false self

S – Share my life with others

H – Hear God's word

I – Incarnate the love of Christ

P – Pray

Come, Holy Spirit.