I cannot encourage young, single, Christian girls and women enough to be servants in the Name of our Lord -servants to their families first, then to those in need in the Church, and the community, such as the elderly or special needs children, or parents who can’t afford a baby-sitter and really need a date. The possibilities are endless. Why is serving so important in our calling as set-apart young women for Jesus? The answers, as always, are in God’s Word.

1. Jesus, Our Master, Came To Serve.

I often wonder where much of the Church has gotten the idea that we are exempt from service to others when our Lord was the Ultimate Servant. Jesus served, even unto death, to provide salvation for His people. He did not “draw the line” anywhere. How then, can we, as His Bride, place boundaries on our service to others?

“For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.” Mark 10:45 “I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.” John 13:16 “I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.” John 10:11

2. In Singleness, More Than Any Other Life Season, We Are To Be About Our Father’s Business.

Of course, all followers of Christ should be about the Lord’s business all the time; however, there is quite a bit more freedom in singleness to be active for the Lord and His Kingdom. While most of us have parents and/or siblings to help care for, we are also free to serve others without being in a full commitment that Biblical marriage and motherhood demands. My dear friends that are godly wives and mothers rarely have time or resources to minister exclusively to the needs of those outside their home. They do when they have the chance, but they are busy meeting the needs of their husbands and children first, and rightfully so. Can we really grasp what a powerful season in our life this is? We are, for the most part, totally free to minister to those who are hungry for Jesus! Our singleness can be one, big serving fest! Wow, what an exciting thought! The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. (Matthew 9:37). Are you willing to be a laborer in the Lord’s “garden” in this most fitting time in your life?

What an amazing gift from God! Truly, Satan does not want us to know what we are capable of through Christ in this dynamic season! May we never sit around and idly dream or complain our singleness away.

“There is a difference also between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman careth for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit: but she that is married careth for the things of the world, how she may please her husband.” 1 Corinthians 7:34

3. Serving Removes Our Eyes From Self.
Perhaps, this one is the most beneficial to our Spiritual walk. When we are busy seeing to the needs of others, caring for, serving, and ministering to them- we gradually forget about ourselves! Selflessness. What a BEAUTIFUL place to be! It is only when our focus is taken off of “me”, that I am able to see Christ more clearly and better understand His heart, His plan, and what He is saying to me. It is the most JOYFUL place I know of! It is why Paul and Silas were singing while bound in prison! They had figured out that… it wasn’t about them, but all about Him! When the servants of the Lord in the book of Acts were beaten, tortured, even KILLED for their faith, they counted it as JOY to be persecuted for their Savior’s sake. Wow! Their eyes were totally off of themselves, and staring straight into the loving face of Jesus. This is only possible through the power of the Holy Spirit. Do you know another thing that inevitably comes when we delight in the fact that it’s all about Jesus? Contentment. If you are not content in your current circumstances, try taking your eyes off of your self and onto Jesus. You can jump-start the whole process by becoming a SERVANT. “And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.” Luke 9:23 [Emphasis mine].

4. Serving Can Help Bring About Our Destiny.
The important thing to remember with this one is that it is kind of like an incentive. Of course, we should not serve just so God will bless us. However, I cannot help but think of the beautiful story of Rebekah in the Old Testament – how she was “found” for her husband all because she was obeying God’s mandate to serve. Surely, she did not dream that on that day, while watering the camels of strangers, that God’s plan would be accomplished then and there; that a union He had orchestrated from before the beginning of time would come to pass because she was in the place He wanted her to be at the right time. Where was this place? Service. Rebekah was tending to her daily errands, but she went the extra mile. She, not knowing the prayer Abraham’s servant had just prayed for Isaac’s future wife, offered not only to give water to the servant, but also to his camels- all ten of them until they were satisfied! Are you willing to go the extra mile to serve those around you in His Name whether His plan for your future includes a husband or not? Find this entire story in Genesis 24.

5. Service And Humility Go Hand In Hand.
Somehow, when we think of Jesus- how He served, submitted to those whom He could have called legions of angels to destroy, obeyed the will of the Father, even unto death, we can’t help but realize that the spirit in which He did these things was humility. It is so important to have a humble heart as we serve, submit, and obey. Would it truly do any good if the whole while we cooked a meal for someone, we complained about how much of our “valuable” time it was taking, how we’d really rather be doing something else, and we’re only doing it “because I love them and want to be like Christ”? I’m afraid we’ve missed the point already if this is the case. Can you imagine Jesus complaining the entire time He washed His disciple’s dirty, dusty, smelly feet? What if He, with a puffed up countenance had said, ” I really don’t want to serve you in this disgusting way. After all, you’ve been walking in the dust all day. I am the King of Kings! I have much better things to do. . . however I will relent to washing your feet because the Father told me to”.

We can’t imagine it, because that type of behavior and speech was no part of His righteous and holy character. He did everything in love, and without the desire to be recognized. He did not complain. He did not constantly remind people of Who He was. They figured it out on their own by watching Him. The Son of God had no place to lay His head (Luke 9:58)!! How unfitting for a King! But, He was our example of humility, and our living reminder that those who lose their life for His sake will find it (Luke 9:24).

When He served, He did it sincerely, from the heart, and in total obedience and truth. Oh, Lord, to be like you! Change our hearts! “And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.” Philippians 2:8

How many of us are willing to serve when no one is else is watching, except God? Did you know there is an extra special blessing in “hidden service?”
Richard Foster quoted, “Nothing disciplines the inordinate desires of the flesh like service, and nothing transforms the desires of the flesh like serving in hiddenness. The flesh whines against service but screams against hidden service. It strains and pulls for honor and recognition. It will devise subtle, religiously acceptable means to call attention to the service rendered. If we stoutly refuse to give in to this lust of the flesh, we crucify it. Every time we crucify the flesh, we crucify pride and arrogance.”

6. Service = Denying My Flesh= Learning who I am in Christ.
Surely, all of us, at one point in time have wondered just exactly “who we are”. I don’t know anyone who hasn’t at one time or another been uncertain of their true identity. Once, while seeking God on this very issue, He spoke clearly to my heart. He showed me that the only way I would EVER know who I am is to know who I am IN HIM. That is true for all of us. That is why those who do not know Christ are on a constant search. I began to ask Him how to figure all this out, and the first step that He revealed to me was getting my eyes off of me. Sounds strange, doesn’t it? Taking my eyes OFF of me to find out more ABOUT me? The fact is, that in Him, we are royalty, princesses, valuable gems with a price more costly than rubies. We are His Bride who He adores and cherishes and loves unconditionally. We are the ones He is coming back for! However, in order to really grasp these truths deep in our soul, we must first allow our flesh to die that our spirit may awaken to what He desires to show us. Only then, will we be able to get to know His heart, desire to give Him all of us, and allow Him to mold and fashion us into the women He longs for us to be. During this process, we lose ourselves in His beauty, and we gain the understanding of who we REALLY are in Christ Jesus. A wonderful beginning to crucifying the flesh is to serve others and place their needs before our own. “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20

A lovely reminder of just how very careful and tender God has been in the creation of your precious life as well as how very aware He is of your every life detail can be found in Psalm 139:-He knows you.
-He has perceived your thoughts from afar.
-He is familiar with all your ways.
-Before a word is on your tongue, He knows it completely.
-He has laid His hand upon you.
-His hands guide you wherever you go.
-He knit you together in your mother’s womb.
-You are fearfully and wonderfully made.
-Your frame was not hidden from Him as you were being made in the secret place.
-His eyes saw your unformed body.
-All the days He ordained for you were written in His book before one of them came to be.
-His thoughts toward you outnumber the grains of sand.

Opportunities To Serve
God is faithful to provide us with plenty of opportunities to please Him and obey His commands. His love is perfected in us as we keep His Word (1 John 2:5). In taking advantage of these opportunities, we gain patience and perseverance. Our flesh then is able to be crucified, allowing us to walk more freely in the Spirit (Galatians 5:16) . When the Spirit rules, rather than the flesh, we are then able to experience that “joy unspeakable” no matter what circumstance we may find ourselves in. I have found that some of the opportunities God gives me to serve are fun and others are more humiliating. I must learn to appreciate and joyfully receive and carry out both. Of course, we all have our share of somewhat humiliating chances to serve as well. For the past five years, my dad has had moderate Alzheimer’s. He has had a series of mini strokes that have literally crippled him. One fourth of his colon was surgically removed seven years ago and he has a lot of digestion and colon problems- that on top of a huge growth in his throat that causes him to get choked while eating fairly easily. Whenever we go out to eat as a family, he usually has to go to the gentlemen’s room suddenly and without warning. With a cane in one hand and a human crutch (me) in the other, he walks at a speed that would equal about .10 of a mile per hour. So, when this need arises, with it comes the feeling of needing to get him there quickly without dragging. It is having to be content with the fact that he refuses to use a walker or wheelchair in public, that he wants no medical intervention and didn’t when he was of sound mind. Sometimes we make it to our destination in time across a restaurant which feels miles long and sometimes . . . we don’t. Onlookers are always staring. Some smile and look away awkwardly. Others just continue to stare blankly. I try to always smile as I secretly pray we’ll make it “this time”. Sometimes, he may take too large of a bite or eat too fast and get choked and I have to try and help him get the food dislodged. By God’s grace, it has always worked and by God’s grace, I am becoming the woman He desires for me to be through these little opportunities to serve- even when they are not the most attractive. I thank God for the blessing of being able to serve. It is a vital tool that He uses to mold us and refine us, bringing us forth as gold. It also helps put things into perspective and allows us to see what really matters. We are able to remember His sufferings and realize that nothing He calls us to do comes without the strength and grace to accomplish it and that the small or large areas we are serving others could never compare to what He endured for us because of His unfathomable love.

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You can visit Candace’s website: www.watchingforthemorning.org. She publishes “Watching For The Morning” – a newsletter which I highly recommend. HW