A Child of the King, A Servant to All

Ephesians 4
v.1 As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received.
v.2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.
v.3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace

View the world from the perspective of being your Father's house. Think of all people you meet as guests in your Fathers house, to be treated with love and consideration. Regard yourself as a servant in your Father's house, a servant of all, with no work too menial, no service beneath you. Be always prepared to do all you can for others who need your help. You will find great gladness in God's service. You will discover much satisfaction in giving your utmost for His highest. Express your love for God in service to all who are living with you in your Father's house.

Even a son or daughter in their Father's house, one who is working in, and trusted with, aspects of their Father's business, offers courtesy and refreshment to visitors who come to the door. To those stopping by, they are representatives of their Father whose house and kingdom is being visited. Training up younger siblings to behave in the way our Father expects is part of the responsibility of the older children. We find joy in being with family: brothers, sisters, elder brother Jesus, Father God; it is work, but it is work united to a shared goal whose joy is always before us.

Ephesians 4
v.12 to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up
v.13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.
v.14 Then we will no longer be infants,...
v.15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into Him who is the Head, that is, Christ.
v.16 From Him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

Psalms 68
v.19 Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens.
v.20 Our God is a God who saves; from the Sovereign Lord comes escape from death.
v.35 You are awesome, O God, in Your sanctuary; the God of Israel gives power and strength to His people. Praise be to God!

When we grow tired, and each of us do, God gives strength and comfort. He takes us aside and gives us time with Him alone. When we look back, we see that He has carried us, He has shaped circumstances to make a way for us, His individual care and concern for each of us has surrounded and protected us far beyond anything we realized or understood. Far from being insignificant in His sight, we are the focus of His attention, the center of His desire. We are precious to Him.

Isaiah 46
v.3 "Listen to me O house of Jacob, all you who remain of the house of Israel, you whom I have upheld since you were conceived, and have carried since your birth.
v.4 Even to your old age and gray hairs I am He, I am He who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.

This is the rest in God, the ceasing from our own labors, and thus being able to do the work of God. We understand that He upholds us in His hands and the very breath of life is put into us moment by moment. We do not need to, and in very fact are not able to, sustain ourselves, much less accomplish any part of God's work in our strength and effort. The people of the world carry their idols and gods, supporting them as well as seeking their help, to no avail and wearing themselves out. But our God carries us, and we can turn to Him for help at any time, day and night.

Isaiah 45
v.19 ... I have not said to Jacob's descendants, "Seek me in vain." I, the Lord speak the truth; I declare what is right.
v.21 ... And there is no God apart from me, a righteous God and a Savior; there is none but me.
v.22 Turn to me and be saved, all you ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other.
v.23 By myself I have sworn, my mouth has uttered in all integrity a word that will not be revoked: "Before me every knee will bow; by me every tongue will swear."
v.24 They will say of me, " In the Lord alone are righteousness and strength."
v.25 But in the Lord all the descendants of Israel will be found righteous and will exult.

Let us carry the news and message to all who will listen. Time is short, but there is enough to do what is needed.

Isaiah 48
v.9 For my own name's sake I delay my wrath; for the sake of my praise I hold it back from you, so as not to cut you off.
v.10 See I have refined you, though not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.
v.11 For my own sake, for my own sake, I do this. How can I let myself be defamed? I will not yield my glory to another.

God of glory and grace, Yours is the praise that we give from our mouths, through our hands, and out of our hearts. We proclaim You worthy of glory, and we thank You that we have the testimony to prove it to others from Your work in our lives. Be glorified, Lord, in our lives; we are Yours, just as You have given Yourself to be ours. We bless Your name, Father!

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