Wednesday, March 19th

In my personal Bible reading this morning I read something that stuck in my mind all day today.  In Exodus 35, The Lord recapped all that he had previously told Moses concerning the temple's construction.  One phrase kept coming up..."whose heart made them willing."  God was talking about the services that would be needed for the temple to be built as He had instructed.  He needed people to bring certain materials.  God needed people to volunteer their services, their time, and their effort.  But, throughout the chapter, he repeats the phrase "whose heart made them willing."  Wonder why God kept saying that?  Throughout the whole chapter the common thread is that they were serving because their heart were pointed in that direction.  Could it have been because God only wanted the offerings of those who were truly giving from their hearts?  Let's be honest, the Lord didn't need their offerings then, and He doesn't need ours now.  He is the Creator of everything.  To serve our God is a high calling and priceless privilege.  But, many of us are serving out of duty instead of love.  

I wonder if each of us can honestly say that we are serving because our "hearts have made us willing" ?  Or, do we serve because we know it's right?  Believe me, girls, serving without passion for Jesus is empty and only leads to frustration.  Serving because our hearts are overflowing is different and produces a far different effect---contentment.  Ask yourself this, does your service for God fill your soul to overflowing or is it burdensome.  If it doesn't encourage you to serve then perhaps your heart has not made you willing.  In that case, you need a good ole' fashioned heart surgery.  Ask God to create in you a new vision with a clean slate.  

Remember, dear girls, there is no other life worth living than one spent in service to the Lord.

Scripture Reading for the Day:
Proverbs 19
Matthew 4