When we choose to be a servant, we give up the right to be in charge.  There is great freedom in this. …  When we choose to be a servant, we surrender the right to decide who and when we will serve.  We become available and vulnerable.
 
— Richard Foster, Celebration of Discipline

When I first read the words "available and vulnerable" in the above quote, my mind immediately went to what a personal ad might say.  But in this case, it would be a "personal servant ad" in the fictitious Ministry Daily News …

AVAILABLE AND VULNERABLE …
SWF seeks 24/7 ministry opportunities.  Creative, outgoing and loves serving the King of Kings.  Leadership skills in abundance, but also comfortable as a team player in group settings.  Local projects are a plus, but will consider long-distance.  No task too menial or small.  Money, time and personal agenda not a problem.  Ready to sacrifice and serve at a moment's notice.  Acclaim and reward not required. 

Well, if only that were accurate, right?  What seems to stand in the way of me living a life of true service and being "available and vulnerable" like this is just plain old me.  I'm not unlike James and John who also struggled with what it means to serve Christ:

Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him.  "Teacher," they said, "we want you to do for us whatever we ask."  "What do you want me to do for you?" he asked.  They replied, "Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory" (Mark 10:35-37).

They wanted the honor and the visibility.  But what they didn't get, at this point, is what is also required in Christian service:  sacrifice.

"You don't know what you are asking," Jesus said.  "Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?"  "We can," they answered.  Jesus said to them, "You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant.  These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared" (Mark 10:38-40).

Only Christ could bear the wrath of God's judgment and die in our place on the cross.  Only his blood could atone for our sins.  As Christ followers, James and John shared in his sufferings (as do we all).  But their places of honor would be determined by God. 

Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all.  For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many" (Mark 10:43-45).

Some of us might say, "Oh, but I love to serve!" and "I have a servant's heart!" or "I serve whenever I can!"  And perhaps we truly do.  OR ... perhaps we serve only when it feels right, only when the popular people are involved or only when it works out with our schedule or only when it is for a cause that is "big" or only when it involves traveling to an exciting destination.  See how we can easily place these perimeters and try to control when and how and whom we serve?  I do it, too.  If I'm serving, then it's going to be on my terms.  But that's not true service …

"Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet.  I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.  I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.  Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them" (John 13:14-17).

Washing someone's feet.  Think about it.  That is truly making yourself available and vulnerable.  Especially if the condition of the feet are rank and unpleasant to behold.  To me, foot washing represents the tasks that I don't want to do.  It's the ministry opportunity for the person who drives me nuts.  It's the service project that cuts into my "more important" appointments.  It's the mission of mercy that will cause my finances to be stretched beyond my comfort zone or will require me to give up some of my belongings for someone else.  It's the less glamorous, undercover giving opportunities that no one ever sees or hears about.  By and large, it's something that—in my flesh—I just don't want to do.

True service is not a feeling, but a way of life that is patterned after Jesus Christ.  Will you give of yourself and make yourself available and vulnerable?  Let us learn to serve our Savior as he has served us.   

Intersection of Faith & Life: 

If you are ready to serve like this—if you are ready to let go and quit gripping so tightly to your life—then ask God to present an opportunity to you right now.  Ask him to open your ears, eyes and heart so that you will recognize and accept whatever he is calling you to do. 

Further Reading:

"Rise" by Robbie Seay Band

Slow down, be still
Let go, we will
Be here, be now
Slow down, be still
Breathe in, refill
Be here, be now

If you choose to love
To know that the call
Is to give all you are
To give love away, away
Rise, rise, people of love rise
People of love rise, give yourself away
Rise, rise, people of love rise
People of love rise, give yourself away
Give yourself away, give yourself away

Slow down, just breathe
Be still, believe
Be here, be now
Slow down and see
It's all you need
Be loved and free

And to hear the call, is to give your love away
And to hear the call, is to give your love away
And to hear the call, is to give your life away
Is to give your life away

We're not safe, we're not safe
But we will rise

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"But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD … Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked with God."

Genesis 6:8-9

Even the strongest among us feels this pressure at times:  the pressure to fit in.

In our flesh, we don't really want to stand out for the wrong reasons.  Who wants to face ridicule or intense scrutiny for being different?  For having a life that doesn't look like everyone else's.  For making choices that run countercultural to those of others—even many of our family and friends.

It's dangerous to stand out sometimes and even social suicide on many occasions.  Junior high, anyone?  Or high school?  How about just this week at the office?  Or even in your small group? 

For me, standing out happens most when I'm focused on being obedient to what God is calling me to do.  That could be simply living my life as an "older" single woman (quelle horreur!), being discerning in my entertainment choices or choosing not to engage in gossip or become judgmental should a conversation take that turn.  There are a myriad of ways to be considered "peculiar" in this day and age of blurry morality and anything-goes Christianity.  You don't have to try very hard.

I'm sure Noah must have had the same sort of conflicting thoughts and feelings when God asked him to build an ark when he was nearing 500 years old.  Talk about standing out!  Can you just imagine?  To me, that would be akin to God asking me to sell all of my possessions (gulp, even my fancy shoes) and move half a world away from my family to work in some remote village with no high-speed connection to the outside world.  Strange and totally bizarre. 

So must have Noah felt when he was given specific instructions on how to construct something that was one and a half times as long as a football field and higher than a three-story building.  I'm sure there had to have been some questioning in his mind ("Really, Lord?  Are you sure I'm supposed to do this?").  An ark is not just some type of furniture you build on the weekends or a small woodworking project you've got going on in the back of your garage.  No, it was pretty big, pretty bold and pretty obvious.  And it was an assignment that took him 120 years to complete.  That's a century and some change of sticking out and being peculiar.

What must his friends and neighbors have been thinking?  Times probably weren't that much different than they are today.  "The LORD saw how great man's wickedness on the earth had become and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time," says Genesis 6:5.  Hmmm.  Sounds familiar.

So I'm sure Noah got a whole host of comments:  "What are you thinking, old man?"  "Why don't you work on a more realistic woodworking project?"  "How can you do this to your family?" "Have you lost your mind?"

But Noah was undeterred.  He was productive.  And he was peculiar to those around him.  God told him to do something big and out of the ordinary, and he obeyed.  "Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked with God" (Gen. 6:9). 

Can the same be said of you?  God handpicked a man of faith to do something different.  How is he calling you to stand out, to live out your beliefs and to fulfill his perfect purposes today?

Intersecting Faith & Life:

Here's a question:  how "peculiar" are you willing to be?  God may not be asking you to build an ark per se, but is there an area of your life where he is asking you to step out of your comfort zone and do something out-of-the-ordinary in order to better serve him?  Ponder this, as you consider your life and your priorities in light of obeying your God. 

Further Reading:

Matthew 5:16

1 Peter 2:11-12
 

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Do you sense the Creator, world?
See Him above the canopy of stars!
Brothers!  Brothers!
Above the canopy of stars surely a loving Father dwells.

— Beethoven, Symphony No. 9 in D-Minor, Opus 125, "Choral"

Comparing the body of Christ and our relationship with our Creator to a symphony orchestra and its conductor is nothing new.  I've read these analogies before, as I'm sure you probably have as well.

But this past week, I was smack dab in the middle of all of the symphonic action and really started to think about the comparison as the music swirled around me. 

A member of a civic chorus, I was able to sing in two performances of Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 in D-Minor.  Back in the day, this symphony marked the first time a major composer had incorporated voices into a symphony (a chorus and four soloists sing in the final movement).  The words were taken from a poem written by Friedrich Schiller called "Ode to Joy."  You might recognize that title, even if you're not familiar with classical music, as Beethoven's accompanying melody was adapted into the beloved church hymn "Joyful, Joyful We Adore Thee." 

While sitting in dress rehearsals for our performances, I soaked in everything that the conductor was saying either to the chorus or to the orchestra playing in front of us.  Frequently, he would stop us and give direction as to dynamics and tempo and overall interpretation of the work. 

From his vantage point, the conductor was hearing the entire ensemble in a way that none of us could from where we were standing.  He was able to see—and hear—the big picture.  He knew what would make for the biggest impact when we performed and what would translate best to reach the hearts and please the ears of our audiences. 

We had performed this particular symphony many times before—and once with this same conductor.   But this time, he asked us to change several of the markings in our score.  "Why is he asking us to crescendo here when we didn't do that before?"  Or "why would we break here and not carry over the phrase?  We didn't do that the last time."  "Why is he doing this?????"

These were the murmurings I could hear all around me (and I may have uttered one or two myself) from fellow chorus members.  We didn't understand why he was making these changes or how it could possibly be any better than how we had performed the symphony in the past.  But the conductor is the conductor.  You do what he says.  You follow the stick.  And you keep the vowel on the beat.  Those are the rules, because that's what makes for beautiful music and an overall spectacular concert experience.

After our performances, I marveled at how the conductor's changes and his direction made all the difference in the world.  He was right.  And I could feel that our performances outshone what we had done in the past.  The audiences stood more quickly to give us standing ovations, and the applause lasted longer than usual.  This conductor, this skilled musician, this general manager of instrumentalists, vocalists and soloists, knew exactly what he was doing.  He had a plan and a purpose.  He had our best interests at heart.  Why would I ever have doubted him?  

As I pondered further, I couldn't help but think of our heavenly Father, "The Great Conductor in the Sky," if you will.  Is he not directing the music of our lives? Has he not written the melody that each of us must sing?  Does he not know which lives will harmonize best with others?  Is he not the one who gives us a reason to make music in the grand symphony of life that he has orchestrated? 

Brothers and sisters, let us follow the glorious direction of our Creator today.  Our best efforts will only lead to a cacophony, but he is the one who can make beautiful music in and through our lives.

Intersecting Faith & Life:

Is your life a pleasant melody to the audience around you?  Or is it harsh and out of tune, a dissonance that is hurting the ears of anyone with whom you come in contact?  Aim to sing a new song today for God is the one who puts the music of love in our hearts (1 John 4:7-12).

Further Reading:

Romans 12:4-8

Ephesians 5:19-20

Psalm 92

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Come, follow me, Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men."  At once they left their nets and followed him.

Matthew 4:19-20

I remember loving the Choose Your Own Adventure books when I was a child. 

At the end of each page or scene, the reader was given different options.  "Turn to page X to find out ______ or turn to page XX to continue _______."  You could control your own adventure and make it go any which way you wanted.  And then you could go back to the beginning and try it a different way.  And then do it again.  And again!  The possibilities were nearly endless.

Similarly, the possibilities for real-life adventure are just as great.  I've experienced this many a time as an adult when I've chosen my own adventures over the years.  I've controlled as many variables in my circumstances as possible.  I've tried to think through every possible scenario and attempted to forecast what could or couldn't happen should I do this or should I decide to do that.  Basically, I've lived a lot of my life any which way I've wanted to.

Sounds empowering and freeing, but it's actually quite exhausting to live like that—always plotting and planning and manipulating events and relationships and opportunities that could affect my life.  Always looking for the pathway that will take me to the greatest happiness, the biggest reward and the most amazing adventure.

I was thinking about this recently when I shared with a close friend that I was tired of my life (again!) and was ready for "a new adventure."  "I want to live in a foreign country."  "I want to try something new."  "I want to feel like I'm reaching my potential."  "I want an exciting life!"

Well, all I can say is how blind I have been and continue to be most days.  It's a study in contrast between my definition of adventure and what is God's.  In my book, it's about me going after what I want.  Me taking advantage of any and every opportunity I can to make my life more "exciting."  Me turning to whatever page I want and choosing to steer my life into whatever I want it to be. 

But in God's Book—the Bible which he inspired men to write for followers like you and me—it's quite different.  And if we are following closely, then there are simply no "choose your own options" …

As Jesus walked beside the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. "Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men."  At once they left their nets and followed him (Mark 1:16-18).

So they pulled up their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him (Luke 5:11).

The next day John was there again with two of his disciples.  When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, "Look, the Lamb of God!"  When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus (John 1:35-37).

See any patterns here?  "At once" and "left everything" and "followed."  No one stopped to say, "Hold on, Jesus.  I need to look at my schedule first and make sure I don't have any conflicts with work or any previous social engagements."  Or "Jesus, wait just a minute.  I need to make sure I'm not missing the annual shoe sale at Macy's or the big college game next weekend."  Or "But if I follow you now, does that mean I won't ever get to get married, have children or buy that vacation home on the lake?"

In Christ, the adventure lies in the immediate obedience.  The instant trust.  The life-saving faith that was placed in someone who had come to change the world.  The yielding of our lives to Almighty God, who is sovereign and in ultimate control of everything that was and is and ever shall be in our lives.

Will you let God choose your own adventure today?  Will you drop your big dreams and important plans and follow wherever he wants to lead you?  Yes, there is a cost as you yield yourself—and your choices—to him.  But the outcome will be far greater and more exciting than any adventure you could ever imagine.

Intersecting Faith & Life:

What's the worse that could happen if you didn't finish your to-do list today?  If you made time for coffee with a friend, even though your schedule is jam-packed?  If you listened and acted upon the leading of the Holy Spirit to give financially despite it not seeming like you have enough money in your bank account?  Make it your mission to choose to open your heart to whatever adventure God wants to take you on today.

Further Reading:

Matthew 10:39

James 4:13-15

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