It is my prayer that every Christian recognizes the importance of serving God through the way we serve others.  There are few things, if any, that are as emotionally exhilarating, and draining, as the task of serving others.  Having worked in a variety of ministry settings, including various roles within Christian camp ministry, I understand the excitement that often comes with the beginning of a new ministry or ministry season.  I also understand the weariness than can develop when our focus begins to drift away from the ministry of serving and onto ourselves.

This is day one in the second week of devotions from the book, “Serving God: Devotions for Active Worship”.  This devotional book is laid out in thirteen weeks of daily devotions with each week wrapped around an aspect of how we can serve others.  Each of these devotions are designed to help a person spend time with God to see how serving others is an act of worship.

Serving God:
Contentment As a Part of God’s Commands

“You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife. You shall not set your desire on your neighbor’s house or land, his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”
Deuteronomy 5:21 (NIV)

Are there things that you want, or want more of, just because you see someone else have them?  What are some of those things?  How effective is visual advertising in getting you to think you need something?  With the costs of 30-second advertisements during events like the Super Bowl in the millions of dollars, how effective do you think companies believe visual advertising is?  How would a lifestyle of contentment help you to live obediently to God’s command to not covet?  Why do you think contentment would be such an important quality in the lives of those who serve?

Doing the right thing has always been a core part of who I am.  Not that I have always chosen the right thing, but the desire to do so seems to have been imbedded in me by my parents and by God Himself.  Our society makes living with an attitude of contentment a very difficult thing to do.  Knowing that God commands me to be content, to not covet what others have, helps me have a desire to be satisfied with what He gives me.  As you pray, ask God to help you understand His desire for you to be content.  Pray that you would be able to serve others effectively because of your obedience to God’s commands.

In prayer,

Tom