Being Led To Serve

The phone at the house rang once. Twice. I picked it up and said "Hello. This is Brad." There was a short delay and then a recorded voice saying, "Hello. Please don't hang up. We've called…" I hung up. It was the second time they called this morning, and my response was the same each time. The first time I listened to a bit more of the message before hanging up, where they said they were from Google and wanted to update the listing of our business.

I'm of the opinion that people looking for information about our church already know where we are at. I doubt that people from far off places, be that across New Mexico, across the US, or across the world are trying to learn more about this particular small church in a small town in New Mexico. In a similar manner I frequently get offers from Facebook to increase our "reach," so that a post to our congregation's Facebook page could be readily seen by 700 to 3,000 more persons.

Out of curiosity I Googled our church. The first two links were to pages we have on the Reformed Church in America Global Mission website. The next two were direct links to our Facebook page. And the 5th link was to a website that appears to gather information about specific churches and put it all on one page. Everything I saw there came directly from our Facebook page. Whatever the recorded voice from Google was offering I doubt that it would make any real difference in people finding accurate information about our congregation.

Personally, I'm much more interested in discussing our church with the person coming to the back door of the house to talk, or who stops me to ask a question or for prayer with them while I'm out running. And even more than talking about the church I'd rather talk about the God whom our church has worshipped and served, day-by-day, week-by-week, for over 100 years.

All on my own, for the person needing help, or encouragement, or guidance, I don’t have much to offer. But as someone who loves Jesus and seeks to grow as a follower of him, He will often have something to offer that person that He will provide through me. And while I may be the pastor, I'm not the only one He can use that way. If you look to Jesus as Savior and Lord, He can use you too.

We are all different people, with different abilities, different kinds of things at our hands to offer to others, and at different places in our walk as followers of Jesus. But because He is Lord, we don't have to have all the answers. We can look to Him for guidance and then see where it is that He is giving us an opportunity to serve.

The needs of our community are great, and likely the needs of your community as well, but we serve a great Lord, who is able to accomplish more than we think may be possible, as his power works through us. Paul says it this way in Ephesians 3:20-21:

"Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen."

May you grow as His daughter or son, and see where He is leading you to serve Him in this particular place in His world.

Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.