BEYOND MEASURE
WRITTEN BY PRINCESS K
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Father in the name of Jesus I declare that I serve You and You alone. I glorify Your name. Jesus Christ thank you for being my best friend. Holy Spirit, You are my inspiration and I love You! Amen!
Today I would like to share about love and service beyond measure. We have a good example in Luke 10:25 – 37 where Jesus told the parable of the Good Samaritan. He stopped to help a man who was beaten and stripped of his clothes by robbers. Not the priest and neither the Levite who passed by, helped this man but the Samaritan stopped and then took care of him, showing us love and service beyond measure.
There are different ways people serve in love. It could be prayers, cooking food, visits to an old age home, caring for those challenged with disabilities and sickness, transporting people, listening, treating patients, repairs, fund raising etc. No matter, big or small, I am sure that God wants us to take up a servanthood role. It empowers others and ourselves.
In the Bible and in life we find many examples of love and service beyond measure, hence we know that is what God also expects from us. However, how far are we prepared to go? Sometimes we like to be served rather than to serve and many times when we do serve, we want to stay in our comfort zones. Now let me first of all say that God is pleased with us serving Him in any way, but I do want to challenge all of us to think and act on love and service beyond measure.
I’m sure that many of us are serving others and therefore the question is whether we serve only in our comfort zones or are we prepared to climb out of the boat to serve beyond measure? I would like to discuss four reasons why I think so many people feel that they struggle to serve and then also to move out of their comfort zones:
- I am not good enough!
Satan is full of lies and wants us to believe that we are not candidates who qualify to serve others. Yes, we are human and we have made and still make mistakes every day but does that disqualify us from serving? If we wait to be perfect in order to serve in an area, it will never happen. Rom 5:8 is very clear in saying that “God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Jesus is our ultimate example of love and service beyond measure. If He could do that for us, why do we still say?
- I CAN’T! – God says in Phil 4:13 “I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.”
- I STILL MAKE MISTAKES AND THEREFORE I CAN’T HELP OTHERS! – Steve Maraboli said: “we all make mistakes, have struggles and even regret things in our past. But, you are not your struggles. You are here now with the power to shape your day and your future.”
- WHAT IF I FAIL? – God believes in you, why else did he sent His son to die for you when you were still a sinner? Don’t fear to fail. “Fear is placing your faith in “what-ifs” rather than in “God is.” (Danessa Foo) Come on, when the spirit of fear challenges you, look it right in face and simply say: I don’t care what you say, I will do it! 2 Tim 1:7 says: “God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirt of power, of love and of self-discipline.”
What is important right now is to realise that when you say that you’re not good enough could result in you not taking any action at all. This is for sure a stumbling block to serve beyond measure. Remember, if you don’t leave the side of the pool, how will you swim to the other side? You will once again move to the stairs, climb out and walk around; taking up your comfort zone. Also, how do you past a test by just studying hard for it? You don’t! You have to go to the test center and write a test. It takes effort and a will to get a result. Hence, we have to change the way we think about ourselves and see ourselves as being able to do what God has destined for us to do.
- Why me Lord?
There is a really nice song with the following words:
“Why me Lord, what have I ever done, to deserve even one of the pleasures I’ve known. Tell me Lord what did I ever do, that was worth loving You or the kindness You’ve shown.”
When I read the lyrics of the song, I realise once again that nothing you do can change the fact that Jesus loves you. As already said, He qualified you when He died for you and me, while we were still sinners (Rom 5:8). So He regards you as qualified. Furthermore, God decides to whom He will assign His different assignments to. In my career I had the opportunity to apply for a higher position. I thought that I would rather not apply as it was, according to me, above my abilities. I then received a message from God, via a special friend, who was very clear that I had to apply. Now being in Christ I know that when God gives instructions, I better follow and hence I applied. At first I heard that someone else got the post and to be honest I was relieved. However, I received a phone call a few months later, asking whether I would still be interested to take up that position as the previous person was transferred to another environment.
Hence, after a long process I was appointed in the post and I was challenged like never before to work on a high level of production. Off course I doubted myself many times and ended up asking God why He placed me there. The answer came in 2 scriptures namely John 15:16 saying “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit – fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in My name.” I also received Phil 4:13 that says “I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.” Then, and only then when I took the truth from these scriptures and received it in my heart, did it change my thoughts and my life. Thereafter, nothing was too hard for me and God gets the glory for all the successes that followed when we as a team were able to help change the lives of many, through education and training.
We sometimes don’t agree with the assignments God gives us and then we simply want to take the easy way out. However, if not for the challenges and struggles, what would grow us spiritually? When it seems like God is breaking us, He is actually building us. Will it be easy? Off course not, but the reward is immeasurable.
- What will people say?
We sometimes don’t put forward new ideas and we don’t volunteer to take on new projects because we wonder what people would say? Will they like it? Will they approve of it? Will they laugh at the ideas? Will it be as good as last time when Sarah did it? We should never compare ourselves with others and neither should we ever decide on what others would think before they have even heard about our ideas. Yes, it does happen when people are sometimes rude and instead of saying in a nice way that they have tried it out and it did not work, they are rude and put us off in trying again. No one should be oversensitive when something is explained in a calm manner with examples on previous experiences. The challenge lies in that it is often done rudely and people are scared of putting forward other suggestions. About 20 years ago, I tried to help someone to decorate plates of food for catering. Instead of showing me what she wanted, she was rude and just said that it was wrong and she re-did it. She was a wonderful person and I really loved her, but that moment in my life resulted in me for years thinking and telling people that I am not creative and I therefore never wanted to decorate anything. Only when Jesus healed me, did I realise that if He said I could do everything through Him that strengthens me, then could actually do anything. I took up the next request for assistance in a project and prayed about it. God blessed me with many creative ideas and since that day, no one will tell me that I can’t do something.
We must remember to never compare and never seek the approval of man. “Don’t worry about other people’s opinion of you. God never told you to impress people; only to love them.” (DaveWillis.org) In Gal 1:10 Paul writes “Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.” Hence, if you received God’s approval on something, go for it!
- It is too hard for me
So many times people want to take action but they don’t. They simply feel that it is too hard to execute and therefore so many great ideas lie dormant. I would like to emphasize Phil 4:13 for the third time in the passage. If God says you can, then you can and if you don’t believe Him, you are making Him out to be a liar. It is when we try to do things in our own strength that we are left disappointed. God is your strength. You need to take every new idea to Him for approval and then it will not fail. Make sure He is in control and the leader of your projects. Scriptures of motivation here include:
- Zech 4:6:” not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit”, says the Lord Almighty.”
- Deut 31:8: “the Lord Himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”
- Isa 40:31 “but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”
- Isa 41:10 “so do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
Furthermore, God created us all unique and hence we should work together, each using their talents. One might have a creative idea and others have the talent to put it in action. It is like playing football. Only one player kicks the goal into the net but does it mean that he alone gets the medal for winning the game? No, everyone had to train hard and play together in order to pass the ball to the one who kicked the goal. Ecclesiastes 4:9 says “two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work.” Team up, work together, don’t expect any credit and reach successes beyond measure.
To love and serve beyond measure is not easy, but rewarding. Jesus Himself, the greatest servant of all, said in Matt 5:1 – 12 that we will not have it easy, but He also said that we would be blessed.
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven
Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.
Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”
In closing. I want to say thank you for all the love and service you have provided to people around you. However, let us not be content. Jesus Christ set the example by showing us His love and service beyond measure. Let’s take hands and go one step further. Let’s go where we have never been before. Let’s climb out of our comfort zones and allow the Holy Spirit to lead us to where our feet have never wondered.
Lots of love
Princess K