Eye-Opener

Was talking with one of the Hopekids ministry leaders about the heart of a volunteer. She shared some very good insights into what HopeKids needs: that children's ministry is not just about getting volunteers who are willing - but volunteers also have a strong and deep abiding relationship with Jesus Christ. We might be able to get by in other ministries, but definitely not HopeKids, as we are working with CHILDREN.

The leader's sharing was an eye-opener for me. :) Because up to now, I have stressed to my volunteers that God doesn't look for skills so much as He looks at the heart. But I realized that this is an incomplete understanding of what it really takes to be a servant of Christ. You may be willing regarding the ministry activity... but how about your relationship with God? Do you seek God for who He is, not only what He can do for your ministry? So... is your heart for God there, first and foremost? Keep your desire for God central.

Frankly God doesn't need anyone to serve Him. I was discussing the missions drama script with my teammate Deborah just now, and was telling her that God took Adam from the clay of the ground. She looked at the Genesis passage and said no, it wasn't. She pointed out that it simply said 'dust' not 'clay'.

So I looked more closely and it did say 'dust'. Of course it might be a translation issue, but it struck me how we were made from something as insubstantial and vapoury as ... dust.

Dust. The very picture conjures up the stuff that line your dustpans. The gray flecks that speckle your long-unused books and shelves. The brownish stuff that you find on your shoes. Dust. And of such lowly stuff He made the forerunner of the entire human race - in His image. That God would choose to use such lowly stuff to represent His glory and personhood... I think it shows the beautiful humility that is our God, the Servant King.

So we are made from dust. We are not indispensable. What really matters to God is whether I love Him with all that is in me and with all that I have, and whether I love my neighbor as myself.

Thinking about all these, I feel really grateful to God. That He has considered me worthy to serve Him in children's ministry. It's such an essential ministry... and I really really do NOT deserve to be in this ministry. I am so lacking in character, heart, commitment, etc... yet God in His infinite grace actually invited me to join Him in this wonderful ministry to impact the next generation. It really is totally the grace of God that I can even serve Him in children's ministry.

1 Tim 1:12-16
"I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that He considered me faithful, appointing me to His service. Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.

Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display His unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on Him and receive eternal life."

Yeu Ann

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