Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.“ (Romans 12:11)

Serving the Lord is a grace that God grants us. Some people take great pride in working for well-known companies or serving important individuals. But what about serving God?! I know a man who cooked for the King of Morocco for quite a long time. He explained to us how extravagant the king’s food budget was, the number of dishes served at each meal, and the financial opulence of the royal household. He had cooked for wealthy personalities, and it was a source of pride for him. But what about the King of kings?

We often look down on the service we render to the Lord, and as a result, we become discouraged. We fail to realize that we are serving the greatest personality the world has ever known! We serve the One who created the world and everything in it! What an honor! We can be proud to serve God.

A lack of understanding of the supremacy of this service over others leads many people to spiritual laziness. Yet, God calls us to fervor. The book of Proverbs tells us:

“How long will you lie there, you sluggard? When will you get up from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest— and poverty will come on you like a thief and scarcity like an armed man.“ (Proverbs 6:9-11)

Often, people are already so busy with their jobs, their families, and their personal affairs that they do not want an additional burden. For them, church is merely a form of entertainment—comforting, soothing, and relaxing. They love the Word, they love God’s presence, and they enjoy meeting their friends there. That is the choice some people make.

Yet, it is a sad thing to bury one’s talent in the ground! Just as the money we have belongs to God, so do our talents. They are His first and foremost, and He wants to use them for the honor of His name.

Refusing to serve God is dangerous for our spiritual lives. We will become spiritually sick. We must pour ourselves out for others. I have noticed that those who do not bless others will instead bring curses. They will criticize and create division. Serving God nourishes our spirit, while refusing to serve Him feeds our flesh and our selfish desires.

It is up to us to choose whether we will be a vessel of clay or a vessel of honor. Do we want to be a clay pot hidden away in a garage, or a vessel of honor displayed in the dining room for all to see?

The purpose of a vessel of honor is to be sanctified, useful to its master, and prepared for every good work. The purpose of the teaching of God’s Word is to make the man of God complete and ready for every good work. Good works are our calling!

Idleness and spiritual laziness are widespread in many churches, and I must point out that this is particularly noticeable in many Western churches. I am not saying they do not exist elsewhere, but it seems even more prevalent among us.

“At the same time they also learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house, and not only idle but also gossips and busybodies, saying things which they ought not.“ (1 Timothy 5:13)

It is surprising to see that those who make the most noise are not necessarily the ones who do the most work. Many people stir up dust without accomplishing much. As the saying goes, “Those who have the least often show off the most.” Have you ever heard someone say, or perhaps even said yourself, “Oh, this morning I had to wake up early because, you know, I cleaned the church for two hours.” A woman once told me this, and that was the only time we ever saw her do it.

Many women and men move about restlessly from house to house or from one conversation to another. It seems like they are doing a lot, but in reality, they are just making noise. Some people talk for hours about how amazing they are, how much they evangelize, travel the world, and pray for people. But if you dig a little deeper, you may find they have only done it a handful of times.

Serving God with faithfulness and perseverance will lead us to moments of divine visitation. The shepherds in the region of Bethlehem were tending their flocks when an angel appeared to them. The glory of the Lord, accompanied by a multitude of angels singing, was revealed to them as they watched over their sheep through the night.

When we are faithfully tending the flock, God will visit us. In a certain church, the usual time for the service to end arrived, and several people left. However, just a few minutes later, revival broke out, and God visited that church powerfully. Those who had left were able to “catch up,” but how much more glorious it would have been to be there at that moment…

This text is an excerpt from the book “UNFAIR LOVE“ by written Jérémy Sourdril.

We invite you to read the next article, “THE ABANDONED LORD.“

SPIRITUAL LAZINESS. SPIRITUAL LAZINESS.