Devotion 10/6, Serve

(Paul)-This is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ. Philippians 1:9-10

My love for God usually overcomes my weakness and I choose good over bad. But unless I’ve placed myself before God’s word and surrendered my heart to him in prayer, I have a very tough time choosing between good and best. Yet I’m convinced that much of what God would love to do through us today goes lacking because we’ve settled for good when he longs to lead us to best!
I don’t know about you, but my most difficult decisions are not about choosing between good and bad. I usually know what is good and what is bad, especially when bad involves evil. My toughest choices are when I have to choose between good, better, and best. When I totally submit to Christ while reading scripture and in prayer, the answer usually becomes obvious because I’ve opened my heart for the Holy Spirit that leads me through discernment.
Paul’s focusing on eternal things, not temporary matters. He is fully aware that we will have problems and discomfort in this life, but he knows if our love for God and each other is strong and growing we will have the strength to endure the hardships that surely will come!
This love for each other that he is referring to is not an emotional love, but an active service love. It is a love that is first of all centered in Jesus Christ, and then shown to others in our treatment of and service to them. All those who have placed their faith in Jesus and His blood shed for our sins are brothers and sisters in Christ. Paul is praying that we will act as a family and take care of each other, putting others needs ahead of our own (Matthew 22:37-39).
Love that is so enlightened will be able to discern those things that are best, always.
When we are in tune with God the indwelling Holy Spirit will enlighten us to discern what is not only the good thing to do, but the best thing to do in every situation.
People are usually either givers or takers. Have you ever noticed the takers can’t get enough, they can drain you. And the givers always seem to have more to give. They are always helping, going the extra mile to make other’s struggles just a little easier. That’s your family, your brother and sister in Christ, your “Family of Faith! What a gift the family of God is, what a blessing.

Thank You precious Lord Jesus for coming to this earth and dying for our sins. I pray for Your indwelling Holy Spirit for myself and for all that are reading this, to help us to live for You each day and to show your love to all we come into contact with. I pray this for Your glory, in Jesus’ name. Amen!

Lord, help me to serve others with humility, to decern with the help of the Holy Spirit how best I may assist them.