When God Calls You To Serve: Do Something!

How many times have you went to church and heard the many different ministries ask for servants to sign up and help? How many times have you personally felt that God was calling you to serve, yet you allowed fear, anxiety and a multitude of excuses keep you from going and signing up? We have so much potential sitting in our congregations, refusing to answer God’s calling on their lives. During a sermon titled “Pray, Pay, Pack” at Crossover Bible Fellowship, Joseph Chinn asked the question, “Whose healing is on hold because you have something else to do?” At some point we have to decide to take action and do what God has called us to do.

About four and a half years ago I met a guy at church named Graddie Peoples. He befriended me and kept asking me to come by after church and bring my family since we had sons the same age. After a few weeks of him consistently asking me to come over so our kids could play and we fellowship, I gave in. Eventually that led to me faithfully joining him at 24 Hour Fitness to play basketball. I don’t care what we were talking about eventually the conversation was going to end up on God’s grace and mercy. As much as I enjoyed playing basketball with Graddie on Friday and Sundays after church, I noticed a reoccurring pattern. Every so often before we would go to the gym, Graddie would get a call that someone needed help, or some work was needed at the church. And every time Graddie would drop what we were getting ready to do and go help. Now I am not familiar with installing projectors and working on vehicles and any other equipment. Yet hanging with Graddie, I found myself often holding drills, wrenches and screwdrivers. One day while he was installing a projector in the young adult’s (church) building, I asked Graddie why is it that he is always going to help, when someone calls. He stopped what he was doing, looked me in my eyes and said, “When I think about how good God has been to me, I can’t help but serve.” His response changed my life and cut me to the core at the same time. When he said it, I thought about how good God has been to me, continuously blessing me and keeping me, through all my foolishness, ignorance and bad decisions. I felt about two feet tall realizing as a grown man I was just now understanding why I should serve others.

We spend a lot of time doing nothing and wasting precious moments. We often have several opportunities to serve others each day and refuse to utilize our gifts and talents. Instead, we make excuses like, someone else will do it, or I would like to help but I don’t have time since I need to be somewhere else. During a sermon titled, “Perfect People” at Crossover Bible Fellowship, Pastor Blake Wilson said, “Your assignment is always attached to other peoples that need you. So for you to not do what you are called to do is to leave people in pain!” We must grow up as a church body and do what God has called us to do. Consequently, our lack of a response is simply exposing the fact we are operating in the flesh and not walking in the spirit (1 Peter 4:10-11). We have careers and projects with deadlines maybe offering advancement opportunities, spouses, kids and aging parents among other things that keep us focused on everything but what God is calling us to do. As if we haven’t heard or read Matthew 6:33 that says, “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” We know his word and still we find it in our hearts to do the total opposite of what we know we should do. Instead, we should focus on God’s will for our lives based on Romans 12: 6-7. God calls us to use our gifts not just inside the church but outside as well. Throughout the day we may encounter a multitude of people and circumstances where we can help in different situations. However, if we are not in tune with God’s will and purpose for our lives, we will miss those opportunities to act.