You were created to serve God. The Bible says, “God has created us for a life of good deeds, which He has already prepared for us to do” (Ephesians 2:10). These “good deeds” are your service. Whenever you serve other in any way, you are actually serving God and fulfilling one of your purposes. You were place on this planet for a special assignment.
You were saved to serve God. The Bible says, “It is He who saved us and chose us for His holy work, not because we deserved it but because that was His plan” (2 Timothy 1:9). God redeemed you so you could do His “holy work.” You’re not saved by service, but you are saved for service. In God’s kingdom, you have a place, a purpose, a role, and a function to fulfill. This gives your life great significance and value. We don’t serve God out of guilt or fear or even duty, but out of joy, and deep gratitude for what He’s done for us. We owe Him our lives. Through salvation our past has been forgiven, our present is given meaning and our future is secured.
You are called to serve God. Growing up , you may have thought that being “called” by God was something only missionaries, pastors, nuns, and other “full-time” church workers experienced, but the Bible says every Christian is called to service. Your call to salvation included your call to service. They are the same. Anytime you use your God-given abilities to help others, you are fulfilling your calling.
One reason why you need to be connected to a church family is to fulfill your calling to serve other believers in practical ways. The Bible says, “All of you together are Christ’s body, and each one of you is a separate and necessary part of it” (1 Corinthians 12:27). Your service is desperately needed in the Body of Christ – just ask any local church. Each of us has a role to play, and every role is important. There is no small service to God; it all matters. Likewise, there are no insignificant ministries in the church. Some are visible and some are behind the scenes, but all are valuable. Small or hidden ministries often make the biggest difference. Every ministry matters because we are all dependent on each other to function.
You are commanded to serve God. For Christians, service is not optional, something to be tacked onto our schedules if we can spare the time. It is the heart of the Christian life. Jesus came “to serve” and “to give”—and those two verbs should define your life on earth, too.
If you’re not involved in any service or ministry, what excuse have you been using: Abraham was old, Jacob was insecure, Leah was unattractive, Joseph was abused, Moses stuttered, Gideon was poor, Samson was codependent, Rahab was immoral, David had an affair and all kinds of family problems, Elijah was suicidal, Jeremiah was depressed, Jonah was reluctant, Naomi was a widow, John the Baptist was eccentric to say the least, Peter was impulsive and hot-tempered, Martha worried a lot, the Samaritan woman had several failed marriages, Zacchaeus was unpopular, Thomas had doubts, Paul had poor health, and Timothy was timid. That is quite a variety of misfits, but God used each of them in His service. He will use you, too, if you stop making excuses.
-Excerpt from The Purpose-Driven Life
Purpose #4: You Where Shaped for Serving God