SERVING GOD WHOLEHEARTEDLY

Philippians 2:28-30 says, "So I am all the more anxious to send him back to you, for I know you will be glad to see him, and then I will not be so worried about you. Welcome him in the Lord's love and with great joy, and give him the honor that people like him deserve. For he risked his life for the work of Christ, and he was at the point of death while doing for me what you couldn't do from far away." Paul continued to write about Epaphroditus to the Philippian believers, and he encouraged them to welcome him back in the Lord's love and with great joy, and give him the honor that he deserves because he risked his life for the work of Christ and for helping Paul in his ministry. There is a possibility that the reason Epaphroditus got very sick was because of the hard work that he had done for God's work, whether he was serving the Lord or Paul. But everything that he did was very passionate and sincere, and he gave his 100 percent best for everything that he did. Epaphroditus exemplified 1 Corinthians 10:31, which says, "So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God."

Serving the Lord deserves our 100 percent best. The Scripture is not saying that we need to neglect to take care of ourselves, but there are situations in which we need to live sacrificially. We must be willing to risk our lives in whatever God is leading us to do. For example, when the Lord put in my heart to go to Malaysia to serve the pastors there, I knew that I was stepping into a predominantly Muslim country, and they had restrictions that were imposed on Christians on how to minister there. I had to eat whatever they served us, and I could get sick if I ate something that my body wasn't used to. We cannot serve God half-heartedly because He deserves our best. If God sacrificed His life on the cross to save us from our sins, we need to have the same attitude that we need to sacrifice everything for Him. We must be willing to give our time, effort, energy, resources, or comfort to do whatever God is leading us to do. 

God wants us to serve Him wholeheartedly, without complaining or murmuring. He deserves our 100 percent best all the time because He is our God and Savior. Our Lord Jesus gave it all for us so that we may life. In response, we must give it all for Him. 

Questions for application: (Think through these questions carefully, meditate on them while answering them, and let the Spirit of God speak to you.) Why does God deserve my 100 percent best in serving Him? Am I willing to serve God sacrificially? Is there anything that God wants me to do today that will require me to sacrifice my comfort, resources, energy, time, or effort? 

Take a moment to write down all your worries today. Then, lift them to God in prayer, surrendering them to His will and trusting in His guidance.

Prayer:

Dear Father in Heaven, please help me to serve you wholeheartedly. You sacrificed your life for me on the cross so that I may live. Thank you, Lord Jesus, for giving it all for me. Please guide my heart today, and help me to do everything for your glory. In your name, Jesus, I pray. Amen.