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 twelfth 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:
Purity of Body and Spirit

“Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.“
2 Corinthians 7:1 (NIV)

What comes to mind first when you hear the word purity?  Are there other aspects of purity that may not come to mind right away but are just as important?  What are they?  What are some things that would contaminate your body and spirit?  How deliberate are you in purifying yourself from such things?  Why would having purity in body and spirit be important as you serve others?

Most of the time I hear or read about purity, it focuses almost exclusively on sexual purity.  While there does need to be attention focused on that aspect of purity, much of the time a lack of purity in our sexuality is only one of the symptoms of a lack of purity elsewhere in our life.  When we serve others we must be pure in both body and spirit so that our reverence for God is seen and heard.  As Jesus put it, it is what comes from the inside of a person that contaminates the outside.  We will rarely have complete purity with our body until we allow God to purify our spirit.  As you pray, ask God to help you see anything in your life that reflects an impure body and/or spirit.  Pray that your reverence for God would lead you to remove every contamination from your life.

In prayer,

Tom