As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord [ Joshua 24:15 ]
What does Joshua mean by saying, “As for me and my household we will serve the Lord”? He chose to know and love God and to pass on his faith to his children.
What does it mean to serve the Lord?
To serve God means to do His will and it includes doing what He commands us to do. It is not enough that we mentally recognize that there is God, we must do what God commands us to do. In John 10:27, Jesus said, “My sheep hear my voice. I know them, and they follow me.”
How do me and my household serve the Lord?
There are two ways to serve the Lord:
- Spiritually & Mentally
- Physically.
1. Spiritually & Mentally: –
- Serving the Lord is a joyful thing to do
[Psalm 100: 2]
We need to serve and worship the Lord joyfully and also invite others to do the same so that we can enter His presence with praises and by glorifying His name. - Wholehearted devotion & obedience can make your heart glad
[ Deutronomy 11:13 ]
Your Christian walk is not meant to simply be a part of your life, it is meant to guide every aspect of your life, how you live, speak and act. We are commanded to love and serve God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength which reflects a wholehearted devotion and love for God. - Remain steadfast in your obedient Service:-
[ 1 Corinthians 15:58 ]
Our work will always yield a good return, so our part is to simply remain steady in our service. If we remain
steady and faithful throughout our life, we can be sure to see the elements of His plans unfold in our lives. - Remember that everything you do serves God:–
[ Colossians 3:23-24 ]
Ultimately, we are not serving other people through our work or service. As Christians we do what we do to
honour God, keeping Him at the forefront of our minds as we go. - Your service is a sacrifice of praise
[ Romans 12:1 ]
When we submit to God’s will and seek His goodness in our lives, we turn our bodies and our action over to God as a sacrifice of praise, which is the truest and fullest act of worship we can give to our Heavenly Father. - Being a servant is better than ruling over others
[ Matthew 20:27 ]
Many of us seek positions of authority and power in this life. This is not the way Christ taught us to live.
Jesus consistently preached that we should serve others and seek their good over our own, rather than making it the goal of our lives to dominate others. This selfless service will be an effective witness for the Gospel to imitate our Jesus Christ in everything we do. - Remember what God has done for you
[1 Samuel 12:24 ]
God gives us the strength to serve Him and gives us joy as we do. Remember His blessings and His promises as you seek to serve Him in your life.
2. Physically
To Serve God is to serve others and is the greatest form of charity: the pure love of Christ.
- Serve God through your family: –
To serve God starts with serving our families. Daily we work, clean, love, support, listen to, teach and endlessly give ourselves to our family, serve them with hearts full of love, and our acts also serve God. - Give tithes and offering: –
One of the ways we can serve God is by helping His children, our brothers and sisters through tithing, a generous offering that can be used to build God’s kingdom, help the hungry, thirsty, naked, stranger, sick and afflicted. - Donate clothing and other Goods: –
All throughout the world, there is a place to donate unused clothing, shoes, dishes, blanket/quilts, toys, furniture books, etc. which helps others a lot and is also a way to serve God. - Serve God by serving children and destitute: –
So many children and teenagers need our love and care and who feel that they are alone in this world. There are many programs to become involved with helping children by becoming school or community volunteers. Jesus Christ loves all the children of the world and so we too should love and serve them. - Mourn with those who mourn: –
We should always be beside those who are in pain and sorrow, and have lost the battle of life, to support them and help them to feel our love and empathy for them. - Share your talents: –
Each one of us has been given talents from the Lord that we should develop and use to serve the Lord and others. Examine your life and find your gifts, talents, and skills. What are you good at? You can help others with your skills and talents by praying for them to develop their talents. - Simple Acts of Service: –
Sometimes all it takes to serve God, is to give a smile, hug, wave, prayer, or a friendly phone call to someone in need. - Serve God by humbling yourself: –
It is not possible for us to serve God and His children if we are full of pride. Pride will never allow us to humble ourselves. Developing humility is a bit of effort, but as we start understanding, and humbling ourselves, it will become easier to serve our God and His children.
Serving God will bring joy to your heart! He is the source of ultimate joy and peace and entering into His service is the best way to live your life.
Therefore, as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord. [ Joshua 24:15]
Mrs. Margaret Yesumitra Samuel
UBM Christha Mahima Church, Vasai.
