We need God’s heart for service

“Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because those who have suffered in their bodies are done with sin. As a result, they do not live the rest of their earthly lives for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God. For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do—living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry. They are surprised that you do not join them in their reckless, wild living, and they heap abuse on you.”

1 Peter 4: 1-4 (TNIV)

From what we read yesterday, we know we should serve God, putting his needs and wants first. God also set us examples of service, by providing for our needs. Jesus himself was the greatest servant, sacrificing his own life to meet our need to be brought back to God. We have no reason to put our own needs first.

Peter wrote about Jesus’ sacrifice, service and suffering on our behalf in the passage just before the quote above. “Therefore” – because Jesus has set this example for us – we should be prepared to live for the will of God, serving God rather than serving ourselves, living to satisfy our own wants. We already know that satisfaction only comes from God, that it is pointless to chase satisfaction elsewhere, so the things we and others do which are self-serving – including “debauchery, lust, drunkenness”, etc – are pointless for us. Peter writes that serving God rather than ourselves has a number of effects:

• It should change what we do, and what we want to do
• This causes surprise amongst other people who have different priorities
• This is likely not to invite admiration, but abuse and suffering for us!
• Although this hardly seems fair, we are to remain committed to serve as God serves:

“Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms.”

1 Peter 4: 8-10 (TNIV)

We are commanded to love other people, and show this in practice. Hospitality is one way we can do this – letting others use our personal space, our food, our time. Each of these things is precious to us, and it’s not surprising that we feel the need to protect them. Nevertheless, if we are living to please God, we need to do what he tells us to do. God tells us to love and serve other people, even people who cause us problems.

This is what “love covers over a multitude of sins” means – even though sin causes hurt and separation, love gets over this and fuels the desire to serve. Just as God loved us so much that he served us and died for us in spite of our sin, we are to love and serve others. Peter calls those of us who serve “faithful stewards of God’s grace.” Our ability to love and serve comes from God, our gifts come from God for the purpose of service, and our attitude to service should not be “I’m a great person because I’m serving”, but “God is great because he has served me, and enabled me to serve others.” Then, let’s get on with it!

To consider and pray throughout today

• How does what I choose to do reflect God’s heart for serving others?
• Who am I choosing to serve? Who am I excluding from serving, and why?
• Has God given me love enough to cover sins? If I don’t feel he has, can I ask for this love?