Temple Tour 1

So we went on a tour of an old testament temple tonight. We really enjoyed it and Kole did amazingly well. Trough it all, I learned 3 very important lessons. I am going to write 3 different blogs to cover it all...

The first one being about service.

Kane called me weird last night because I offered to wake up with Kole if he decided to stay up to play PS3 (even though he had already told me that he would). Am I weird because I serve Kane? Yes and no. Tonight the girl said that our bodies are not ours, they are to be used for the Glory of God. I get this. I completely do. I spend so much time trying to serve those around me. Kane, Kole, other family, other friends. But, in the process I lose sight of the main goal. TO BRING GLORY TO GOD. I can serve everyone all I want, but if I do this with out keeping the Lord as my focus, it means nothing. I am learning this the hard way. I started out by serving because I wanted to be used by the Lord, and now I am wanting to gain because of what I am doing, not who He is. When I have this attitude, I feel myself growing bitter and away from the Lord. Heaven help me I do not want to become that woman again.

My encouragement for those reading this is 2 fold. First of all, I want to encourage those of you who have been or are serving. It is not what you get in return that matters. It is the Glory that the Lord gets that really counts. If you get burnt out, lean on him. He is your real source of comfort and strength and stamina. Though it is nice and technically you should be, you do not need to be served in return. We are all humans, and we all sin, so no matter how much we think we deserve it, you are not always going to be appreciated by those you serve, or rewarded by those you serve. However, when you heat is in the right spot, the Lord sees it and will honor it.

The second part is for those who are struggling with serving. Maybe you are struggling in the same way that I am struggling, or maybe in other ways. Are you serving because you "have" to? Are you serving because you "feel better" about yourself. Neither of these will bring glory to God. Are you even serving at all? Are you expecting to get served while not using your talents or body to bring God glory. We are the body of christ, we are to be working as one, serving each other. When one person gives everything they got, while another hides in their own selfishness and does not stop to think about someone other than themselves, it hurts the body of Christ. Look around you! There are people that you love who are hurting, who are tired, who are struggling. Knowing what Christ did for you, can you really sit back and watch this struggle take place and not step up and take your rightful place in the body of Christ. Who is in your life that you can bless tonight, tomorrow and everyday there after. Your life is not your own. Everything you have, and everything you are was given/created by God and is to be used for his Glory.