Devotionals

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What’s on your plate?

Matthew 20: 25-28

25Jesus called them together and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 26Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 27and whoever wants to be first must be your slave— 28just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." (NIV)

When I refer to, “What’s on your plate”. I’m using this analogy because; we sometimes refer to our service to the Lord as such. I often hear Christian brothers and sisters tell me how full their plates are, especially when asking them to volunteer for a project in the church. I hear this all the time, I would do it but, my plate is so full now!

Before we go on let me define a couple words. First word, Christian – “a person who exemplifies in his or her life, the teachings of Christ”
Second word, Exemplify - to show or illustrate by example.
Is Christ exemplified in your life? Can the world see Jesus in you?
The Pharisees talked the talk, but didn’t walk the walk! But our Lord Jesus Christ became flesh, came into this world to show us that we not only can talk the talk, but with Him in us, we too can walk the walk of faith.

Matthew 23:11
The greatest among you will be your servant (NIV)

I’m not writing this to be hurtful, just trying to awaken a sleeping giant. “The Church”
I believe I could honestly say, that if we clean our plates off of the things of this world, we would have ample room to serve God the way we were created to serve! I haven’t read any were in the bible were Jesus said; My plate is to full, I don’t have enough room for one more healing, or I don’t have time to walk miles and miles to teach my children, or my gospels, or let me look on my palm pilot, I might have to reschedule some things just to make it to the cross! Ok so their wasn't palm pilots back then.

What if Jesus said, my child I can not cast this demon out right now, I have to pick up my children from school! What idol is keeping you from serving God, the way He commands you too?

What if Jesus said, I can’t do the cross thing today God, when I picked it up I hurt my back and my feet hurts too. What hurts you the most? Do you know what hurts Him the most?

What if Jesus said; Father, you know my plate is full and I need a vacation, and 40 days in the desert without food is not the vacation I had in mind. Are we vacationing because we’re over whelmed from the cares of this world and the struggles of chasing after it? Or are we vacationing from years of uninterrupted service to our Lord Jesus Christ?

We can’t half serve our God. We must serve Him with every fiber of our being! Jesus walked all the way to the cross for our sins. He gave His all! And that walk ended at a cross, and that’s where our walk begins. He’s the I AM! Not the I can’t or the I don’t feel like it! When are we going to start carrying our crosses? I know most have picked them up, but when the going gets tough we lay them back down. Unless we carry them without ceasing, we will have the victory in sight but never being able to reach it.

The Father gave His “all” when He sent Jesus to the cross. Jesus gave His “all” when through obedience He fullfilled “all” righteousness on the cross. The Holy Spirit is giving His “all” giving us power and the revelations of God’s Word.

We need to re-examine what’s on our plate, and need to clean the trash off also!

Mark 9:35
Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, "If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all."

Father, I ask today that you empty us of the things of this world.
Create in us a servants heart, not just to serve the brethren but
to also serve those that don’t know you yet.
In Jesus almighty name. Amen

© Randall Wadley November 15, 2006

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