Are You Ready For Service?

And when Jesus went into Peter's house, He saw his mother-in-law lying ill with a fever. He touched her hand and the fever left her; and she got up and began waiting on (serving) Him. Matthew 8:14-15

As Christians we know that God is a healer and a deliverer. We also know that it is our duty to share with others about how God healed us from sickness or delivered us out of an adverse circumstance. This is what is commonly known as "testifying", and is one way by which we can encourage others in situations similar to our own. But my concern today is that many of us may not understand that our healing or deliverance is not solely for the purpose of testifying or just to make us more comfortable while here on earth. No, God heals and delivers us for a purpose!

In our scripture for today, Peter’s mother in-law illustrates to us very plainly, exactly what that purpose is. The word says that after Jesus laid hands on her and the fever left (He healed her) she got up and began waiting on him. She began to Serve Him.

It is that simple, the Lord Heals and Delivers us for Service!

God does not heal us simply to keep us here on earth so we can be with our family and friends. No He heals us knowing that the healthier we are the better able we are do his work in a way that will glorify Him. He heals us for service.

Nor does He deliver us out of difficult situations without purpose. Take for instance our finances—when God delivers us from a debt ridden life it is not just so we can have more money, it is so we can better serve Him through service to our brother, the church, etc. How can we help our brother when we can’t help ourselves? He delivers us so that we can better serve Him.

Often times we associate serving God with singing on the choir, ushering or serving on a board, but service to God does not end when we leave the church building – actually, that’s when it begins. Paul tells us in Colossians 3:23, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord.

This lets us know that as devoted followers of Christ we should serve God everywhere – at work, at home, at church, in our communities, and with all of our life – our time, our talents, and our finances.

So here’s the question…. What are you asking God to heal your from? What are you asking God to deliver you out of?

Are You Ready For Service?