Servants serve with compulsion, not under compulsion; they do so willingly out of a genuine love for Jesus, and happily so. Serving under compulsion is a chore, not an act of love. Only when one loves the Lord with all of his heart, soul and mind, will he serve compulsively. It becomes second nature. This man sees every opportunity to serve as an act of worship.
People generally don’t view serving as worship, but that’s exactly what it is. It’s not even about who you are serving, (be it your church, or the homeless man on the street), because the true servant knows that serving is an outward expression of worship.
Worship is the heart of serving, a way to show your love for Jesus through every act of kindness.
Why Serving is Worship
Serving is worship because it’s one way you can express love for Him. Colossians 3:17 says, “Whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” When you serve others with a heart full of love for Jesus, your actions become an act of worship, touching lives in a way that honors the Father.
Do You View Serving as Worship?
When you serve as an expression of worship, and do so with all of your heart, that very act of serving is powerful and effective. With that heart, the act of serving will penetrate even the darkest heart. Let me illustrate.
Many years ago, I was asked to serve over the funeral of a man who I didn’t know, who had recently died of old age. Not only was this the first funeral that I ever presided over, but the man who died was not a believer. On top of that, he had a son who was an intimidating hard-core Harley Davidson biker, named Tom. I befriended Tom and purposed to demonstrate God’s love to him by loving him through service.
Tom was an alcoholic and very rough on the outside. He looked like he was at least 45 when in fact, we was only 24. He lived a very rough life and had seen and done many things he was not proud of. I helped him move out of his mother’s house into a one room unit. It was the kind of place where he shared a community bathroom and the timed hot water for showering was limited to 2 minutes. Tenants had to pay rent weekly. My wife and I bought him food, invited him into our home and introduced him to the church family encouraging fellowship with other believers. We loved on him and not too long thereafter, he accepted Jesus into his heart.
Within two weeks, his motorcycle gang found out where he was living and offered him an ultimatum. “Reject Jesus and ride with us, or we’ll beat you to death”. He chose Jesus and they held to their promise and beat him perilously. Beating him unconscious, leaving him for dead. I was the first one he called for help.
Why did Tom call me? Why not the police or an ambulance? He called me because I had served him the Presence of God. His Presence was served by presiding over his father’s funeral, helping him move, feeding him, and inviting him into our home for dinner and fellowship. Those very acts of service were powerful and effective and changed his life forever. This story is not about me. It’s never about us, it’s always about bringing honor to Jesus. My purpose for telling this story is to show what can happen when you serve His Presence to those who do not know him. Serving with a heart of worship opens doors for the Father’s love to change lives, even in the toughest situations.
Serving His Presence is an Aroma to the Lord
It is true, when we demonstrate the kindness of God to others, it leads to repentance (Romans 2:4). Serving His Presence to others paves the way for the Holy Spirit to reach into one’s heart and change their life forever. Determine in your heart to view serving as worship, because it is an aroma to the Lord that does not go unnoticed. It draws the attention of the Holy Spirit and with the precision of a heart surgeon, He penetrates the heart, revealing Himself as the healer and forgiver of sin, bringing new life. When you serve with love for Jesus, your actions carry His presence.
Making Every Act Worship
How do you make every act of service worship? Keep your heart focused on loving Jesus, ensuring that every action flows from that love. Whether helping a stranger or serving your family, do it with am attitude of worship. This focus turns your service into a gift to the Father, showing His love to everyone you meet.