January 31st Devotion

Learning to Serve Others with Love
By Emily Rose Massey

“Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor; not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer, contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality.”- Romans 12:10-13 NASB

“Ministry” is derived from the Greek word diakoneo, meaning “to serve.” Every believer is called into ministry to serve Jesus and His body. Jesus came to earth to serve others and calls us to follow His lead in selflessness and compassion for others, especially our brothers and sisters in Christ. It is human to seek after the cravings of our flesh, but in Christ Jesus, we can turn from old ways (Colossians 3:10; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Ephesians 4:24). The Holy Spirit empowers us to set our selfishness aside to follow Jesus in service of others. That kind of lifestyle starts with our mindset.

Bible study and spiritual discipline allow the Holy Spirit to renew our minds, shifting our focus to eternal and spiritual matters. The longer we walk with the Lord, the more able we are to hold up under the temptations of worldly thinking and fleshly desires. Our behavior and attitude change as God gives us the desire to love, obey, and serve Him fervently! Selfish living isn’t an option for Christ followers! The Apostle Paul encouraged believers to become committed to the Lord and our brothers and sisters in Christ:

“Be devoted to one another in brotherly love; give preference to one another in honor; not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord; rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer, contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality.” Romans 12:10-13 NASB

Intersecting Faith and Life:
In dying to our selfish ways, our lives bring glory to God. We may feel pain and joy as the light of God shows up in other people’s lives. He does not leave us to our strength to follow the command to love and serve one another. God empowers us to surrender to Him and His ways entirely. Our love for Him and others will grow stronger with each obedient step. Every passing day, by God’s grace, we mature and cultivate a heart to serve others for His glory! Who is God asking you to serve? What selfish desires do you need to put aside to put someone else’s life before yours? Are you too busy or distracted to serve or pray for others? Let’s take some time and write down those who might come to mind. Who can you minister to, even if it is just a simple phone call to encourage someone or invite a new couple from your church over for dinner? May God empower us to choose others above ourselves and show the love of Christ with great compassion.