Daily Devotion: Works of Service

Scripture:
Ephesians 4: 11-16

Main Verse:
Ephesians 4: 11-12
So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up.

Observation:
The apostle Paul emphasized in Ephesians 4: 11 that it was the Lord Jesus who has bestowed  gifts to his appointment men--apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers--because they are the people that the Lord uses "to equip us for works of service." The Lord Himself has chosen these men, spiriitual leaders, so we can be more effective in serving the Lord (v. 12). They help us understand the Word of God better and teach us how we can have a more effective and fruitful Christ-centered life. Their work is not to do the work that each one of us are supposed to do, but to help build up and strengthen our faith.

Application:
It is therefore wrong of us to think that only pastors or church leaders are tasked to do the ministry of serving the Lord. In addition to our daily devotions, we should not forget that our spiritual leaders have been given the gift of teaching so we can be better equipped in our ministries. We are all ministers in God's church. We are part of the body of Christ. We must all serve the Lord and the only way we can serve the Lord is by sharing who Jesus is to others through our actions and our speech. But we will never be able to prepare ourselves for our ministries if we do not do our job of equipping ourselves. John Wesley once said, “One of the principal rules of religion is, to lose no occasion of serving God. And, since he is invisible to our eyes, we are to serve him in our neighbour; which he receives as if done to himself in person, standing visibly before us.” If we desire to serve the Lord, we must desire to equip ourselves.

Prayer:
Father, thank you for pastors, teachers, and spiritual leaders whom you have appointed to help us become better ministers. Thank you for sending us these people to help us understand your Word. I pray that you will continue to bless their lives as they persevere in the ministry you have assigned to them, and that I may be more appreciative of what they are doing for the members and for the church. I pray this in Jesus's name. AMEN.