Often, I see ministry as what I do at church. I work in the nursery once a month. I teach a Sunday School class. I help in AWANA. I am involved in ministry. But Tripp challenges us in the book to think of ministry as our lifestyle. Ministry shouldn’t be what I do on the side. My life should be my ministry.

When I am frustrated with my husband, remember, my marriage is my ministry. When my kids are driving me crazy, remember parenting is my ministry. Viewing these things as my ministry will surely change my actions and reactions in these situations.

It also reminds me of 1 Corinthians 10:31:

Whether then you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

All–everything–I do is for God’s glory and in a lifestyle of ministry to others.

Hebrews 10:24and let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds,
25not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.

These are verses we often hear discussed within the context of telling us we should not miss church on Sundays. I’ve been reading a book- Broken Down House- by Paul Tripp, and one of the things he discusses in the book that has really made me think is this idea of living in Christian community. He suggests that living in community is much more than just meeting at church for an hour on Sunday. Living in a Christian community involves really knowing each other and taking care of each other, and holding each other accountable.

I think this is what Paul has in mind in Galatians 6:

2Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

There is a lot more to bearing each others burdens than meeting together once a week. In order to bear burdens, we have to really get to know people on a more personal level. It might be hard; it might be messy; it might be out of our comfort zones. But, I think this is what it means to live in a Christian community.

Now, imagine that God is speaking directly to you, telling you to reach out to that person.

What? Are you sure God? Let me remind you what they’ve done.

This is what happened when Saul, who became Paul was converted.

Acts 9:10Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and the Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” And he said, “Here I am, Lord.”
11And the Lord said to him, “Get up and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying,
12and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him, so that he might regain his sight.”
13But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he did to Your saints at Jerusalem;
14and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name.”
15But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen instrument of Mine, to bear My name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel;
16for I will show him how much he must suffer for My name’s sake.”
17So Ananias departed and entered the house, and after laying his hands on him said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road by which you were coming, has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”

Can’t you just hear Ananais? “Um , Lord, Saul is the one who has been traveling all over and persecuting and killing those of us who believe in you. Are you sure you have the right man?” I’m sure Ananais knew folks who had been persecuted and maybe killed. Saul was definitely low down on his list of people he wanted to help.

But, he did go. And he did help. He even addressed Saul as “Brother, Saul.” He put aside his personal feelings about Saul and obeyed God’s instruction to reach out to him. And because of that, the ministry of one of the greatest missionaries was begun.

Lord, make me willing to reach out to those people I really don’t want to reach out to. Help me to be obedient to You, so You can use me.

I am not rich. I can’t give much money. I don’t have a lot of creative talents. I don’t sew or cook well. I’m not a very good party planner. As a busy, homeschooling mom, I don’t even have a lot of time.

And I wonder: What can I give to those needy people around me?

In the book of Acts, we read about Peter and John stopped at the gate of the temple by a beggar who asks for money. Their answer is very interesting:

Acts 3:1Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the ninth hour, the hour of prayer.
2And a man who had been lame from his mother’s womb was being carried along, whom they used to set down every day at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, in order to beg alms of those who were entering the temple.
3When he saw Peter and John about to go into the temple, he began asking to receive alms.
4But Peter, along with John, fixed his gaze on him and said, “Look at us!”
5And he began to give them his attention, expecting to receive something from them.
6But Peter said, “I do not possess silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you: In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene–walk!”

Peter and John didn’t have money to give the beggar. But, “what I do have I give to you.” They had something better than money. They had Jesus.

I might not have much in the way of material things to give, but I do have Jesus. I have hope and joy and strength because of Him, and all of those things are very much needed in the world today.

I really do have something to give! And so do you.

As we wandered the store (everything is arranged in a semi-circular manner so you can’t walk the aisle; you have to circle around and see everything), I began to lust. I began to dream. I began to explain to my husband why we needed everything in the store and how we could possibly sell our children to get it. (Just kidding.)

Until my visit to IKEA, I had been fairly content. We are a one income family, and that doesn’t leave much room for funds for home decor- unless the hundreds of books I purchase to use for homeschooling count for decor. But, I wandered the IKEA store and dreamed of all I could have, if I were only rich.

I was rather convicted by the time I came home.

Not because I had been to the store. It was a great store, and if you are in the market to buy furniture, they have some great prices. But, because I had allowed myself, if only for a moment, to get caught up in the mindset; “If I just had a little bit more, I could be happy.” It’s a sneaky, devious thing. It can hit us when we visit a friend and see her new living room furniture. It can hit us at church when the new family pulls up in a brand new car. It can quickly go from admiring to wishing I had “just a little bit more.”

Later, I was reading Psalm 49. Even waaaay back then, apparently folks struggled with this. The Psalmist reminds us that wealth is fleeting:

10For he sees that even wise men die; the [self-confident] fool and the stupid alike perish and leave their wealth to others.
11Their inward thought is that their houses will continue forever, and their dwelling places to all generations; they call their lands their own [apart from God] and after their own names.
12But man, with all his honor and pomp, does not remain; he is like the beasts that perish.
13This is the fate of those who are foolishly confident, yet after them men approve their sayings. Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]!

We studied Ancient Egypt this summer in our homeschool and learned how the Egyptians used to put so many of their valuables and much of their wealth in their tombs to take with them into the afterlife. You know what, they had a bitter wake up. Those things do not last. They are temporal. We cannot take them with us.

So, it is fun to shop in a magnificent store like IKEA. It is even fun to buy something if you can. (I got some great plastic cups and bowls for my kids!) But, we must always be careful of that sneaky thought that tells us we would be happy if we could just have a little more.

And sometimes, I am afraid and don’t sleep well also.

I’m not afraid of zombies. But, what about bills to be paid? Family members who are sick and may not get well? Fear of failure? Those things often keep me awake at night.

Reading through Psalm recently, I found a Psalm that I am going to claim and share with my son- Psalm 121:

1I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.

2My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.

3He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber.

4Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.

5The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand.

6The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.

7The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul.

8The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.

There are some real words of comfort there when I am afraid…

My help comes from the Lord. He doesn’t sleep. That means I can sleep. And, hopefully, so can my son.

Ron Hall first meets Denver when Ron and his wife volunteer at a homeless shelter/soup kitchen. Ron admits his disgust when he first meets these people. He describes his revulsion at their appearance and smell and he relates how he hoped his wife would soon “fulfill” the call she felt God had given her to work with them.

Over time, Ron realizes how his pride blinded him to the real condition of the homeless. When he befriends Denver, his whole attitude changes. He realizes that the homeless didn’t just need someone who would show up for a couple of hours and hand out food. They needed someone to love them, touch them, get to know them. They need someone who is not afraid to sacrifice.

I will admit that my admit toward “the least of these” has been much like Ron’s. I was very convicted by this memoir. It is easy to go volunteer a couple of hours here and there in a situation where I don’t really have to invest myself. It is much more difficult to seek to serve God by serving people in a real way. My conviction reminded me of this passage from Matthew 25:

34Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
35For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
36Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
37Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
38When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
39Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
40And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

It is pretty powerful to think that the Kingdom of God is prepared for those who treat “the least of these” as they would do it to the Lord Himself! I am motivated to seek ways that I can serve as unto the Lord.

God has called me to be a wife and mother. He will provide strength when I am tired, frustrated, and discouraged.

God has called me to home school my children. He will provide the resources and the wisdom I need.

Whatever God may call me to do, He will also equip me to do.

Paul reminds us:

I Corinthians 9:8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.

And again:

Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

When you are feeling overwhelmed with what you believe God is calling you to do, remember that if He calls you to do it, He will provide the strength and the means. Thank you, Lord!

Psalm 3: 1 O LORD, how many are my foes! How many rise up against me! 2 Many are saying of me, “God will not deliver him.” “Selah” 3 But you are a shield around me, O LORD; you bestow glory on me and lift up my head. 4 To the LORD I cry aloud, and he answers me from his holy hill. “Selah” 5 I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the LORD sustains me. 6 I will not fear the tens of thousands drawn up against me on every side. 7 Arise, O LORD! Deliver me, O my God! Strike all my enemies on the jaw; break the teeth of the wicked. 8 From the LORD comes deliverance. May your blessing be on your people. “Selah”

This is one of my favorite Psalms. You know, David had lots of enemies. He fled from Saul. He fled from the Philistines. He even fled from his own son at times! Thankfully, I am not running for my life literally.

But, I do have days when I feel like everything is against me. Do you have those days? Nothing seems to go right. There is no milk for breakfast. I forgot to go to the store yesterday. Children are squabbling instead of speaking in kindness and sweet harmony. Bills are due and payday isn’t until the end of the week. It is raining…again. I have those days. I feel like “many foes” are rising up against me. Sometimes I even feel like I’m all alone in that.

But, David assures me in Psalm 3. Listen to the wonderful things the Lord does. He is a shield around me. He lifts up my head. He sustains me. He allows me to sleep in peace. He delivers me. Wow! Even when I have one of those days, I can count on God, my shield! That is such a blessing and encouragement!

But, I am convicted that many times I forget to say thank you. Sure, I pray a prayer of thanks when something major happens. If someone is miraculously healed or we unexpectedly get money we needed or someone I love finds a job after months of unemployment, I definitely pray and thank God!

But, I often forget about the little things- the fact that no one is sick in my house today, the fact that I have a comfortable house to live in, the fact that I have a husband who loves me and children that God has blessed me with.

Paul reminds us in Ephesians that we are to give thanks:

…always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Ephesians 5:20

We are to always be giving thanks to God for everything- not just the big things but also the little things in our lives. God blesses us in so many ways each and every day.

I need to remember to say “Thank you.”