Are we committed to a life of service?

A life of service….

If-i-were-22-a-life-of-service

I came across this article on one of my professional forums and while it speaks specifically to military service it got me to thinking, with words like ‘sense of service’, ‘commitment to serving’ and ‘Where did you serve?’, about how we as Christians serve others.
Verses like 1 Peter 4:10 and Mark 9:35 tells us to serve others, just as Christ served others and yet, just as in the world, in the Christian church I have seen the best of service to others as well as the most selfish and self serving acts.
I know all of us, even those in the church, are sinners in need of a savior.  How do we create a culture of service within the church, one that brings praise to God, uplifts our members and brings Christ and His love to the communities we live in?

Life (and God) has a way of refining you

“Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.” Isaiah 48:10

The blacksmith places the steel into the fire that he may know what manner of metal it is. The Lord allows His chosen ones to be placed in the furnace of affliction, in order that He may see what temper they are of, and whether He can mold and fashion them for His work.

As I read this today I thought about my life and the trials and tribulations that have lead me to this point in my life.  I know God has always be prompting me here and there but it has only been in the last couple of years that I have really started to let go of the control of my life and just let God lead.

I ponder this because I have been thinking a lot on it lately.  I stated at church on the weekend that I did not currently know how I fit with the church mission, and yet I have let God lead me to here.  I know I have grown as a Christian, as a father and husband, and as a man over the last few years.  As I look to the future I can’t help wonder if God has finished molding me yet.

Beginnings: First of many

Well, I’m hoping this will be the first of many posts.  As this will be a chronicle of our life together it is only fitting that the first post to this blog is on the 23rd anniversary of the day my wife and I vowed to spend the rest of our lives together.  I don’t know if anyone will every read these posts, and it doesn’t really matter if no-one does as this really is for us to journal our lives and the things that are important to us.  We want to look back at these entries in other 23 years at all the things that made us laugh, made us cry and generally created the memories we will hold close to our hearts.

Another historical note before I close out, I changed the oil in my car today, the first time I have personally done that in around 15 years.  While its nice to pay someone else to do it there was something gratifying seeing the engine turn over without oil spurting out.