"Apart from me you can do nothing." John's gospel is very clear as it relates the words of Jesus to his disciples. A life of service does not begin with the service itself. The service is, in fact, an outpouring of the true source - relationship. Relationship with God. We were created for worship and relationship with our creator. So many scriptures reinforce this. Consider the directive in Matthew 6:33 to seek God's kingdom first, and the designation in Matthew 22:38 of love of God as the greatest commandment. Any other order of things results in chaos and less than God's perfect will for us.
So, how do we nurture this relationship that is so foundational?
- through scripture memory (memory verse for this week: Jeremiah 29:11)
- through praise (more on this in Thursday's post)
- through scripture reading and prayer
- by being obedient
How are you doing with these things? Where do you need God's help the most? Can you think of other ways to nurture and grow your relationship with the Lord? What happens when you get service before relationship?Share your experience and how you keep your focus where it needs to be.
