A Woman's Walk

[Judy Harder]

Week of October 23
Diligence

"[Anna] never left the temple but worshipped night and day, fasting and praying."  ~ Luke 2:37

The Bible tells us that Anna was a prophet and that she was married for seven years before becoming a widow.  At that point, she lived in the temple and spent the rest of her life worshipping the Lord with a pure diligence.  She understood that her Maker was her spiritual husband and that she was created for intimate relationship with Him (Is. 54:5).

Although most of us live lives that are not cloistered, we can still diligently worship the Lord everywhere God assigns us, even at work.  All that's required is that we seek His face, ask Him what's on His heart and then carefully obey Him in excellence.

He will surely respond and guide us because it is His loving desire to commune with us.  Hebrews 11:6 tells us that God is a rewarder of those who earnestly seek Him.

With the Christmas season right around the corner, intimacy with God easily awaits us.  Church cantatas, seasonal worship music in our automobiles and holiday decorations in our homes invite us to slip into quiet time with God and appreciate Him even more.  But will we diligently make time for intimacy with Him after the season passes?  Will God remain our greatest desire 24/7?

Although, one can only ponder all the desires and burdens that were on Anna's heart as she came before the Lord day and night, year after year, the Bible reveals that the Messiah was surely dear to her.

The NIV note in Luke 2:36 tells us, "Anna praised God for the child Jesus as Hannah had praised God for the child Samuel."

Anna waited a long time for this miracle child to be born, like Hannah waited for her son Samuel's birth.  Jesus was an answer to Anna's prayers, just as Samuel was to the formerly barren Hannah.

When Anna approached Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus at the temple, the Bible says, "she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem" (Lk. 2:38).

Anna could never have done this if she did not know what was on God's heart.  And the way Anna knew God's heart was by spending lots of time seeking His heart.  In turn, God rewarded Anna by choosing her to deliver a message that He wanted to share with those who would listen.  God knew He could trust Anna with important revelations.

Anna surely felt honored.  Undoubtedly, seeing her deepest love come forth in manifest presence in the temple (also her home) gave her heart great joy.

Like Anna, what miracles do we anticipate in this season?  Do we have the diligent faith of Anna to witness God's greatest manifestations?  Do we know His heart and His voice well enough to hear from Him when He shows up?

Like Anna, is God our first love?

My prayer is that all of us would receive great revelations from the Lord as we diligently love on Him and that we would be able to share His heart with those who will listen.

[Judy Harder]

Week of October 30
Awakening

"Wake up, Deborah, wake up!  Wake up, wake up, and sing a song!  Arise, Barak!  Lead your captives away, son of Abinoam!"  ~ Judges 5:12

God suddenly alerted Deborah to speak a battle command to Barak, Israel's military leader, that would free their nation from 20 years of captivity and oppression.

Like Israel, how long and how often have we found ourselves held captive by ruthless consequences of sin?  Perhaps by our own volition or that of others.  Perhaps even by generational iniquity.  Did it not it feel like an eternity?  And did we not cry out for God to rescue us, just like the Israelites?

Indeed, God hears our cries.  And in His time, His gavel falls.  And when it does, it is swift.  Because He loves us, He not only puts an end to our suffering by driving a tent peg through the enemy's head, He revives us (Judges 4:21).  And we begin anew.

An awakening is a revival or renewal of something.  It is the beginning of a new beginning, a spring season in bud.  In Deborah and Barak's case, it was the beginning of a renewed freedom for Israel, a complete turnaround.

Awakenings are a call to action that give us a sudden, glorious opportunity to remove the grave clothes, shake off the dust and get it right.  They are rooted in God's infinite mercy and His heart of love for us.

Consider Peter.  Acts 12:7 tells us, "Suddenly, there was a bright light in the cell, and an angel of the Lord stood before Peter.  The angel tapped him on the side to awaken him and said, 'Quick!  Get up!'  And the chains fell off his wrists."

As in Peter's case, divine awakenings offer us miraculous opportunity for escape, and they reposition us to fulfill God's plan.  Awakenings awe us and burst open doors of opportunity for us to receive God's abundance of life.  In divine awakenings, we are quickly relieved of burdens.  We are reminded that God's yoke is light (Matt. 11:30).

Divine awakenings send our hearts singing out of gratitude and joy.

Just last week, while sitting in my office, I noticed a bird singing right outside my window.  I don't often hear birds singing this time of year, and when I heard it's lovely chirp, I immediately sensed a spring season in my spirit.

This occurred a few more times during successive days, which prompted me to pray about what God was telling me.  He responded by showing me the word, "Awakening."  As I continue to seek His heart, I believe the Lord will reveal what type of awakening He has at hand.

Are you in need of God's awesome awakening, His miraculous and "sudden" turnaround?  Spend time in His presence seeking His heart, worshipping Him, and ask Him for one.  God can reverse your circumstances in an instant and can reset you on a path of freedom to complete your divine destiny.  He can awe you!

[Judy Harder]

Week of November 6
Heart

"I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of all His glorious inheritance in the saints, and His incomparably great power for us who believe."  ~Ephesians 1:18-19

Love for God is powerful.  It drives us to please Him, to carry out His will, His heart from heaven to earth (Ps. 119:11).  When we seek Him with all of our heart, we will find Him (Jer. 29:13-14), and He is always there for us, no matter where we are, ready to fellowship, ready to pour out His love to us.

In relationship with Him, we are nurtured, restored, filled up with His goodness, willing to serve Him.  In His presence, we return to contentment.  We are blessed with joyfulness and peace, no matter what our circumstances.

Heart is the center of the human spirit, according to Biblical language.  The living word of God tells us to protect and watch over our heart and that it is the wellspring, or source, from which life flows (Pr. 4:23).  Whatever we allow into our heart will flow out in some form of speech, thought or behavior.  Do we seek the Lord for purity of heart (Matt. 5:?  Do we invite the Holy Spirit, the one who sees all things (I Sam 6:7), to examine the depth of our heart (Ps. 26:2)?

I've learned that issues of the heart do not just go away.  They must be confronted.  And if they are not handled privately, they will emerge publicly.  Unresolve has the power to destroy our lives and others.  One of my favorite prayers is to ask the Holy Spirit to reveal any secret sin in my heart so that I may be in right standing before Him.  Will we find the courage to confront the issues, to turn our heart around with His help (Ps. 51:10)?

Much the same, overwork dries up the heart (Matt. 11:29).  When the busyness of life is prioritized over nurturing our hearts with prayer and meditations of God's word, how will we know the heart of God in any situation (Heb. 4:12)?  What can we possibly pour out to those around us?  The ones whom God puts in our path?  Will we have the patience to love them or even desire to extend compassion?

2 Corinthians 3:3 tells us that the Holy Spirit is written on our hearts.  Will we lean to His spirit when we are in need or react from the flesh of our heart (Ps. 19:14)?  Indeed, sometimes, a heart circumcision is in order to cut away that which encumbers us so that we may enter into a new place of intimacy with God, a new assignment, a manifest promise.

David is often described as a man after God's own heart.  Psalm 119:11 tells us, "Your word I have treasured in my heart, that I may not sin against You."

Do we treasure God's word?  Is Jesus our first love?  If not, the solution can be found in Ezekiel 18:31, "Cast away from you all your transgressions which you have committed and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit!"

Indeed, God has given us the power of self-control.  And when we exercise it, fruit is produced.  Thankfully, we can choose to depart from carnal behaviors, ungodly thoughts and an unloving spirit.

With a heart for God, let us remember David's psalm, "May he give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed.  We will shout for joy when you are victorious and will lift up our banners in the name of our God.  May the Lord grant all your requests."

[Judy Harder]

Week of November 13
Sisterhood

"Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers . . . but to teach what is good.  Then they can train the younger women to love . . ."  ~Titus 2:3-4

There is something to be said about women helping women.  I recall when I worked as a flight attendant we women looked out for one another.  At 35,000 feet, we didn't have family, friends, church, or a support group of any kind.  Earning a living out of a suitcase in a different city each night gave new meaning to vigilance.

I witnessed competitiveness and selfishness give way to survival through unity, kinship and an inevitable bond of trust and loyalty.  Even if we occasionally worked with someone who seemed a bit odd, we all knew deep down in our hearts that that woman was one of us.  We were a united front among passengers, and we knew that in a pinch or, worse yet, in an emergency, we could depend upon one another for our rescue in the face of accosting offenders or amid smoldering wreckage.

Over time, we came to love one another as sisters, as like-minded women who deeply understood each other's joys and challenges in our work and our unique lifestyle, like no one else.

Such is the nature of teamwork, where the combined efforts of many produce much.  Women helping women, as the generations were instructed in Titus 2, produces exponential wisdom and achievement.  It helps us to begin strong, accelerate fast and finish well.  Where combined seeds of investment are planted, a multiple return is reaped.

Who are you investing in?  Perhaps it's your daughter or a mentee at work; maybe an intern.  God has a way of growing our investment.

The Cretan women in Titus 2 were taught God's precepts of servanthood, of giving and receiving in relationships, the strength and value of nurturing.  They were offered the building blocks for strong foundations in their families and work.  Paul knew their investments would be rewarded when he wrote those encouraging words.  He wanted women to succeed, as God did and still does.

How we get along with our sisters determines much.  Gossip, pettiness and back-biting are the demons of division.  And when we participate in these behaviors, we inhibit our divine blessings.

Consider 2 Timothy 2:16, "Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly" and 2 Timothy 2:23-24, "Don't have anything to do with foolish and stupid arguments, because you know they produce quarrels."  James 4:11 says, "Brothers [Sisters], do not slander one another."

How much more of God's blessings could we have if we just lived right?

When we let go of Cretan-like behaviors, learn who we are in Christ and choose to walk in God's empowering love, no matter what the behavior of others, we will find strength and unity, we will demonstrate sisterhood, and we will be blessed beyond measure.

What's in your heart?  For an honest account, just ask the Holy Spirit.  Then repent and prepare to walk in God's power and blessings.

[Judy Harder]

Week of November 20
Thanksgivings

"The Lord is my strength, my shield from every danger.  I trust in Him with all my heart.  He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy.  I burst out in songs of thanksgiving."  ~ Psalm 28:7 (NLT) 

David knew the power of thanksgiving.  He understood that thanksgiving reflects a humble heart and is rooted in humble gratitude.  He was genuinely grateful.  For him, God was his only solution, his only escape from danger.  And he trusted God to show up and deliver him.  For David, God meant life.

No matter what our circumstances, we can always thank God for who He is and for delivering us from every evil darkness into every blessing of light.

James 1:17 says, "every good and perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights . . ." (NKJV).

Thanksgiving honors God.  It is a facet of praise, a biblical precept, a key component of prayer and our Christian love walk.  The dictionary defines thanksgiving as "a prayer that offers thanks to God . . . an expression or an act of giving thanks . . . a public acknowledgment or celebration of divine goodness."

Philippians 4:6 instructs us to pray and petition God with thanksgiving.  The NIV note for this scripture tells us that thanksgiving is "the antidote to worry."

Psalm 95:2 says, "Let us come before Him with thanksgiving and extol Him with music and song."

I Corinthians 10:16 refers to the communion cup as "the cup of thanksgiving," which we take in remembrance of Jesus who died for us so we can have eternal life.

The word "Hallelujah," which we often sing, translates into the Hebrew word "halleluyah," which literally means "praise ye the Lord."  The dictionary defines Hallelujah as a thankful cry of "relief, welcome or gratitude."

I did a rare thing for myself one day: I bought a cup of coffee at my local grocery store and decided to take my time shopping for our week's meals.  God spoke to my heart as I came upon the book aisle.  There, I spotted TV anchor Deborah Norville's book, Thank You Power: Making the Science of Gratitude Work for You.

"Interesting choice of words," I thought.

I flipped through the book, having recalled Mrs. Norville publicly proclaiming years earlier that she is a woman of faith.  I saw that she included lots of supporting material—quotes and studies professing that the principle of thanksgiving works.  And, indeed, in the final chapter, she directly addresses "people of faith," encouraging readers to attend assemblies of worship.

As I stood in the aisle of that market, I was reminded that the same biblical principles that we Christians are to live by also work in the world.  God doesn't want to leave anyone out.  He loves us all.

It caused me to pause and ask myself, "How is my attitude of thanksgiving?  How grateful is my heart?  Do I really honor God enough with prayers of thanksgiving?  What gifts from above have I taken for granted?

Indeed, thanksgiving is a powerful principle that touches the Father's heart.  May we ask the Holy Spirit to search our hearts, and may we give the Father of Light thanks for every good and perfect gift.

[Judy Harder]

Week of November 27
Restoration

"Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me."  Psalm 51:12

God purposed His only begotten Son to reconcile us to Him and to do a complete work of restoration.  What an amazing gift of love this is, and it's available to all of us who will receive it.

Divine restoration means to bring us back to God's original intent and plan for us, made whole, full of His presence.

When we first accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we are born again in the spirit, elated with joy.  All we want to do is to please God and shout to the world how wonderful this amazing transformation feels.

But as we step back into the world to work and interact, we can be tempted to slip back into former patterns of sin.  However, God loves us so much that even when we behave in ways that hurt His heart, if we repent, He is quick to forgive.  And He restores us, just as He did for the Israelites so many times throughout the Bible.

Usually, we see the restoration of God manifest after we have suffered for a "little" while (I Peter 5:10).  Our definition of "little" and God's definition usually varies.  He will allow us to suffer consequences to discipline us (Heb. 12: 4-11).  If the consequences weren't painful, we probably wouldn't learn the lesson and would repeat cycles of destruction.   

The quickest path to restoration is immediate repentance and diligence in seeking God's heart and face, praising Him in the midst of our suffering.

It is also important to remember that God did not cause our pain.  We must take accountability, forgiving anyone who may have caused us to stumble and also forgiving ourselves.  Remember, God forgives those who forgives others (Matt. 6:14).  The quicker we let the issue go and turn our focus to God, the quicker we move through the restoration process.

We must also ask the Holy Spirit to check our attitudes and search our hearts to privately reveal to us any hidden sins, so that we may be confessed and in right standing.  Often, we cannot see our own issues, but God sees everything.  And so we must rely upon the Holy Spirit to help us, remembering that which is not confessed privately, will be exposed publically.  Truly, unconfessed sin doesn't just go away.  It must be confronted.

Restoration often extends beyond us into past, present and future generations (Deut. 30:2-3).  When generational sins enter a family tree (Ex. 20:5-6), it can take years for God to restore us and our family members.  This is because there has been so much repetitive sin over time.  For example, if we were raised in dysfunction for 18 years, it may take at least that long to overcome the multitude of issues, depending on the level of intensity and the amount of areas affected.

Still, God is patient with us, and He is kind.  He extends His infinite mercy and amazing grace to us in the journey as we declare Joel 2:25, Job 42:10 and Haggai 2:9.

Generational restoration is often a process that begins with forgiving our forefathers for their iniquities, repenting for walking in the same sins as they and asking God to help us walk in new ways.  This process usually occurs in layers, as in peeling an onion.  Sometimes, there is so much that is wrong, if God revealed all of our issues to us at once, it would crush us.  However, God can accelerate the restoration process by using ministries that specialize in this area or even by miraculous touches from Him.

God will give us restoration breakthroughs as we journey.  These usually involve divine revelations and spiritual deliverance that release us into a new level of understanding and freedom.  And sometimes, these breakthroughs occur in the form of creative miracles or physical healings, like those we read about in the Bible.

God is indeed the same yesterday, today and forever (Heb. 13:.  He still heals today as He did during Biblical times.  He is sovereign, and He does not change.  He loves us no matter what.  But remember, even those who experienced "sudden" miracles first suffered for a "little" while, which may have felt like an eternity to them.

God's restoration offers us liberty from oppression and the freedom to reach our divine destiny in divinely appointed times.  The more baggage we overcome and the more hurts and injustices we process God's way, the more space we make available within ourselves to receive His love.  The more space we offer God to reflect His love through us, the more ways He can use us to share His love in the marketplace, just like Jesus did.  This honors God.

God has much in store for those who will submit to His restoration process (Rev. 2:26).  But what will we choose?  Will we hold to our familiar wounds and bondages and limit the hand of God from working in us and through us?  Will we close out many of His finest blessings?  Or will we choose to exercise a willing spirit and return to His joy of salvation?

It is my prayer that we will humble ourselves and take courage to receive more of Him, that we will align with His perfect will and receive the full measure of His blessings.

If you would like help in your restoration journey, ask the Holy Spirit to lead you.  Only He knows what and how much you are ready to deal with.  Some ministries I can recommend are Healing House, Shiloh Place and Family Foundations International.



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[Judy Harder]

Week of December 4
Miracles

"He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted."  ~ Job 5:9

When US Airways flight 1549 went down in the Hudson River, I—like so many others—watched in awe to see everyone on board survive.  A crash like no other, the image in which most of the people stood on the wings of the slow-sinking craft demonstrated a surefire miracle, God's hand of protection, to say nothing of the captain's glider skills.  And strangely enough, the people looked as though they were standing on water.

The whole ordeal seemed surreal, almost textbook-like, right out of crew training: The impossible ditching where everyone survives.

In the days that followed, one "Today Show" broadcast featured a self-proclaimed born-again Christian woman who gave accounts of people praying, even the flight attendants.  This touched my heart immensely because it was so personal.  As a flight attendant with US Airways for 16 years, I prayed over many airplanes and passengers.  And I know prayer works, even in the workplace.  It touches the heart of God.  It evokes lifelines of miracles.

I have been in four airplane emergencies myself, where I wasn't sure what the exact outcome would be.  But I knew the Lord was with me no matter what.  And in the instances where all I had was God and, as I looked before me, a whole lot of people whom I might have to save and rescue, God became my closest confidant, my most trusted friend and my strongest rock.  I saw many miracles.  And I knew others were praying, like those who watched on television, including my parents during one such occasion.  And my cohorts who prayed in prayer groups, Bible studies and prayer chains in US Airways' offices and break rooms.

Awesome isn't it—the power and love of God in action!

Who's praying in your office?  What prayer points has God given you?  What miracles do you and those around you need?  How about your company?  God is surely big enough and knows just how to bring you in safely.  Will you trust Him?  Will you let Him guide you and direct your path?  Is He your rock?

[Judy Harder]

Week of December 11
Peace

"...making peace through His blood, shed on the cross." ~ Colossians 1:20

Jesus was and is the new blood covenant of peace.  This truth was foretold to the prophet Isaiah in 9:6, "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given... and He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.  Verse 7 goes on to say that there is no end to His peace.

Directly related to salvation through Jesus Christ, peace is a gift, freely given to us.  When we accept Jesus as Lord and Savior, we receive Him and His peace.

In the Hebrew language, peace is translated as "shalom," which means safety, completeness, prosperity, fulfillment, victory, success, health and blessing.

Encarta Dictionary defines peace as "...the time when a war or conflict ends... a state of mental serenity, with no anxiety."

In Latin, peace is translated from the word "placibilis," which means "pleasing" and from Latin "placere," which means "to please."

Since our primary purpose as Christians is to please God, not people, if we walk in careful obedience to Biblical precepts and the Holy Spirit's directives—no matter what others think or say or do—we walk in peace.  Therefore, peace is a reward of careful obedience. 

Conversely, when we choose to move from obedience to disobedience and from faith to fear, we distance ourselves from peace (Is. 48:22, 57:21).

Judges 2 has much to say about how choices of disobedience offer defeat, distress and destruction.  In this chapter, although God did not break His covenant with the Israelites, He did lift His hand of favor off of them when they disobeyed, allowing them to reap painful consequences.

Even so, our Heavenly Father loves us so much that He will restore peace in our lives when we cry out in repentance to Him.  And even though He still performs instant miracles as He did in Biblical times, His restoration often involves a process over time.

Consider the story of Gideon, a mighty warrior, whom God called to restore peace by striking down Israel's long-time oppressors, the Midianites (Judges 6:7-24).  Gideon was the "least" in his family and had the weakest clan of men.  Yet because God heard the Israelite's cries and had purposed restoration for them, He placed His hand of favor, protection and victory upon Gideon to defeat Israel's enemies.  No way could Gideon restore peace by himself.  Only with God could he complete his mission.   And the mission involved a process of strategy and tactics.  It took place over time, and it was messy.

Likewise, only with God's help can we walk uprightly and affect peace for those around us because God, Himself, is the grantor of peace.  And peace is a reward of His righteousness.

If there are areas in our lives where the Holy Spirit is prompting us to cry out to God in repentance and restoration of peace, may we trust that He awaits our cry, He will hear us, and He will respond to us lovingly.

During these uncertain times, may we be led forth in peace, experiencing the fullness and joy of this great blessing that is given to us freely as saints in God's Kingdom.  And may we share this fruit of the Spirit—the peace that surpasses understanding—with those who are struggling or have yet to receive His truth and love.

[Judy Harder]

Week of December 18
Rest

"But now the Lord my God has given me rest on every side, and there is no adversary or disaster."  ~I Kings 5:4

There comes a time when God puts our enemies under our feet. Indeed, He gives us a period of rest so that we may concentrate on the work He has set before us. God's gift of divine rest offers us freedom, peace and protection.  And it is ours through salvation and obedience in Jesus Christ.

There is complete trust available in God's divine rest.  So much so that Deuteronomy 25:19 tells us to forget about the enemies who attacked us when we were weary and worn out.

David declared in Psalm 62, "My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from Him" (vs. 1).  "Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from Him" (vs. 5).

Sometimes, we must take authority over our frantic souls and command them to rest, to come in alignment with the living word of God.  Little wonder the word "rest" appears 275 times in the Bible.  Consider its many definitions:

Rest is a period of refreshing, a freedom from exertion and anxiety, a stopping place for shelter.  To rest means to restore energy, to be supported against something (like the shelter of the Most High), to depend upon someone (like Jesus) for action or as a burden or responsibility, to rely on something (like the Holy Spirit) for proof or explanation, to conclude the presentation of evidence in a case (as in it is finished!).

Divine rest comes after a fulfillment of a promise, or completion, as in the case of King Solomon (I Kings 5:4) and as in the case of the Israelites taking dominion over the Promised Land (Joshua 1:13-15).  It allows for restoration, a new beginning.  It ushers in God's glory (Is. 11:10), and it is rewarded to those who are righteous in the Lord and see the journey through.

In Jesus, we can rest secure from all that burdens or threatens us.  Indeed, He is our way and our truth.  He is our friend.  And He assures us that His unfailing love rests upon us, as we put our hope in Him (Psalm 33:22), just as The Father assured Moses that His presence will go with him, and He would give him rest as he journeyed forth in obedience (Exodus 33:14).

If we are prone to over work, the Lord may have to make us lie down and rest like the sheep in the fields (Psalm 23).  There was a season one year where the Lord spoke Psalm 23 to me repeatedly through various resources.  I finally got the message.

Sometimes it's easy to forget that the Lord and His angels work on our behalf to position and align us, others and circumstances for His perfect timing, His perfect will.  What we think we should be doing is not always God's agenda.  He has taught me to lay down false responsibilities by praying every day, "Lord, I surrender my agenda to You.  Have your way in my day."

Jesus said, "Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls" (Matthew 11:28-29).

If you are in need of divine rest, ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you any unconfessed sins, and confess them.  Then declare Psalm 91:1-2 over yourself, "He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the almighty" and Isaiah 32:18, "My people will live in peaceful dwelling places, in secure homes, in undisturbed places of rest."

May God's unfailing love rest upon you, and may you enter into His resting place safe, secure and highly favored until you journey home to have eternal rest with Jesus.

[Judy Harder]

Week of December 25
Service

"This service that you have performed is not only supplying the needs of God's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God."  ~ 2 Corinthians 9:12 (NIV)

Service is a form of work, and work is a form of praise.  This important word, in its various forms, appears in the NIV Bible over 1,100 times.

Some of us work in the military service, public service, civil service, customer service, church services, even at service stations.  1 Corinthians 12:5 tells us that there are different kinds of service, but the same Lord.  To serve God's way means to do so from a generous heart of love.  And to divinely serve, we must first understand the nature and character of a willing servant:

John 12:26 says, "Whoever serves Me must follow Me; and where I am, My servant also will be . . ."  A servant partners intimately with God.

Matthew 20:26 says, ". . . whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant."  A servant is humble.

Luke 12:35 says, "Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning."  A servant is prepared and vigilant.

Matthew 20:28 says, "just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many."  A servant sacrifices lovingly.

God rewards His faithful and loving servants with an inheritance (Is. 65:9).   He protects them and vindicates them (Is. 54:17).  He redeems them (Ps. 34:22).  He recognizes them (1Cor. 16:18).  He promotes them (Matt. 24:45, Jh. 15:15, Phil. 2:9).  And He gives them righteousness and peace (Rom. 14:17-18). 

The Bible speaks of how rare servant leadership has been in Biblical times and continues to be today in Luke 22:26 (see NIV note) as defined in 1 Peter 5:2—to be willing, eager examples, not lording their authority over those whom God has entrusted in their care.  Those of us who have worked under difficult bosses understand what this means.

God cultivated a servant's heart in me during my many years of working as a flight attendant, where seniority reigned, and I was presented with plenty of opportunities to serve hundreds of people a day.  This was a very humbling job assignment that involved picking up trash, aiding sick passengers and serving food and drink, frequently on little sleep in cramped, hot spaces.  Even though I would often jokingly say that it was my indentured servant job—meaning that I worked to travel—I knew in my heart that God had me there to work in me and through me.

Luke 22:26-27 puts it in perspective: ". . . the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves.  For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves?  Is it not the one who is at the table?  But I am among you as the one who serves."

Indeed, true divine service is both a noble and humble action.  It involves doing that which the Father instructs us to do with faithfulness and wholeheartedness (1Sam. 12:24), praise and obedience (Ps. 103:2).

And attitude matters.  Philippians 2:5 tells us that our "attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus," which is one of humility.  Romans 14:17-18 tells us that when we live righteously, peacefully and joyfully, we are "pleasing to God and approved by men."  This is a key to getting along with others.  Proverbs 14:35 says, "A king delights in a wise servant."  Now here is a precept for getting promoted.

In John 15:15, Jesus calls His servants His "friends" because true servants of Christ are also His true friends in that they are so intimately involved with Him that they know His business.  They are His inner circle or "inner court."

Can we say that we honestly know Christ's business?  Are we part of His inner court?  Do we intimately partner with Him to do Kingdom work?  Are we His wise and humble servants?  May we invite Him to have more of our heart, to guide us in doing and being more like Him so that we can soar in true service to His glory.