“For I was hungry and you gave me food. I was thirsty and you gave me drink. I was a stranger and you welcomed me. I was naked and you clothed me. I was sick and you visited me. I was in prison and you came to me… And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’” (Matthew 25:35-40)
I find myself often in prayer time asking Jesus to take me deeper. Do you ever ask this question? I ache for him to reveal himself to me in new ways so that I can know him more. Well, as I was reading in Matthew a few weeks ago, the Spirit gave me deeper insight into experiencing him.
I’ve always felt inspired reading about how I can serve Jesus by serving others. But God showed me this verse isn’t only about what he wants ME to do. It’s about how HE comes to me and allows me to experience him as I serve and love people.
Wow, God. Intimacy with our King happens when we serve others!
It’s simple. Practical acts of service lead to intimacy with Jesus. Let that truth sink in for just a minute – like watching your neighbor’s kids so they can go on a date; like making a meal for a new mom (or a mom who just had her 7th baby!); like seeking out the mom who’s often alone and inviting her into your circle of friends; and like saying yes to serving on a team at church. It all takes us deeper with Jesus!
As moms we all have a lot going on. I mean, I love the idea about “going out and serving the world for God!”, but in reality? There is laundry to do. Meals to make. Meetings to attend. Schedules to keep. Kids to parent. Bills to pay. Our to-do lists never end. And yet, God doesn’t say, “When your to-do list is finished, then you can offer to watch your neighbor’s kids.” Nope. When the kids are hungry, you feed them. When the neighbor knocks on your door and you’re in the middle of dinner prep, you welcome them in. When you hear of that mom whose kid is sick, you rearrange your schedule, stop at Target, and pick up some items she needs.
Authentic serving is rarely convenient. But in those times when you go the extra mile to serve others, your heart actually expands and you experience the generosity of God in your own life. You discover what it means to love on a new level. And you go deeper in intimacy with the King.
May you serve with JOY this week and be consumed with God’s love in the process.
Journal / Reflection Questions
- Think about a time when you went out of your way to serve and love on someone…What did you do? How did this impact them AND your ability to feel intimately connected to them?
- Now think of a time that GOD went out of his way to serve and love on YOU? Write down what happened: what did he do? How did this impact YOUR ability to feel intimately connected to him?
Sarah Legband is a stay-at-home-mom who manages a multi-generational household (1 husband, 2 young kids, and 3 grandparents). She also leads Substance Moms and enjoys speaking and blogging through her site, sarahelizabeth.org. Some of her favorite things are salsa-dancing, physical touch (love language), and Thai food.