The Anatomy of Service

     
To serve someone takes movement on my part. If I proclaim to be living a life of faith in Christ then I should be living a life of a servant to those I encounter each day. Service isn't done out of obligation, but more so out of a desire to share the love of God. The same kind of love that prompted God to send His son Jesus to be our exemplar of what love displayed through service embodies. Today's FTM looks at the act of service from the lens of our anatomy. During one of my morning prayer times this week, the idea of us being the eyes, the ears, the hands and feet of God here on earth overtook my prayers. Thank you Father for sharing your wisdom and grace with each of us so freely.
     Lord, today may my eyes and my ears, my heart and my soul be in tune to your guidance. May I not turn a deaf ear to the cries of abuse and injustice; may I not be blind to the despair and defeat of those who struggle each day. Father God, may I not be mute to share your message of love and forgiveness which you share with me each day. Dear God, allow my hands to be hands of mercy and may my feet be swift to move to aid those in need. Lord, may my heart feel empathy for those that hurt and may my mind be focused on how to build others up and to support them without enabling them. Precious Father, may I gain your wisdom so that I learn to search below the surface to actually understand the meaning and purpose of life's adversities and afflictions. Give me Your resolve, Your persistent perseverance, and Father arm me with the same mercy and grace that You have shown me in my own life. Father I am Yours and it is my prayer that I serve you with all I am each day that you place air in my lungs! May today be the day that I fulfill Your call on this life that You have given me to live! In Your blessed name, I pray. Amen.
     This week, no today begin looking for ways to start moving to action. The writer of the Book of James warns us about inactive faith in James 2:14-17 with this proclamation, "What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead."
 Knock, Seek, and Open are all actions that Jesus directed us to do in His teachings. I challenge you to not only knock on the door, but open your mind to find ways you can place others needs in front of your own desires. Use the eyes of your heart to seek out ways that you can show compassion and care for those you interact with each day. And lastly, open your eyes, open your ears, allow your heart and soul to see beyond yourself today. Most certainly, your life is not about you!
Coach Carter