Ministering is serving
That also followed Him and ministered to Him when He was in Galilee, and many other women who came up with Him to Jerusalem. Mark 15:41
Serving others is something we all are called to do to take care of one another. We are to serve those we love and those we don’t know. We are to serve the hurting and broken and those that are rich in material things. We are called to be servants just as Jesus was the servant of all. He said: I did not come to be served but to serve others and give My life as a ransom for many. (Matt. 20:28) When Jesus was dying on the cross, it was His greatest act of serving. He was giving His life to rescue ours.
Today’s key verse is about women who “ministered” to Jesus. How does that happen? Did He really need minister too? When He was in the wilderness fasting, angels came and ministered to Him to strengthen Him in His weakened state. Wasn’t that all He needed?
These ladies who “ministered” were actually serving Jesus and His team. They opened up their homes when He was in town, they prepared meals and hospitality and probably even a place to rest and relax. These women were serving Him and that ministered and refreshed Him! When you minister to others, you are serving them.
This is very exciting to me because I can see in my own life many opportunities to minister to others. My perception of ministering has always been about telling others the message of the gospel. While that is true, ministering is actually so much more. Luke 8:3 says that Joanna, Susanna and many others ministered to Jesus by giving funds into His ministry. Mark 1:31 talks about Peter’s mother-in-law ministering by preparing food after she was raised up from her sick bed. Acts 13:2 talks about the disciples ministering to the Lord with prayer and fasting. And many more examples available in the scripture. In serving others, we are actually ministering to our Father in heaven.
This is great news because we can all be ministers. By serving and caring for others in their needs and struggles, we can actually minister to them to encourage and lift them up. It doesn’t have to be hard, and it doesn’t have to elaborate, it only needs to be love from your heart displayed in acts of kindness. That’s when you will be ministering to God!!
Today I want to encourage you to minister to other by serving them. Don’t always be looking out for number one. Put away from you the “me” mentality and take a step of faith by loving others more than you love yourself. God will take care of your needs and you will experience pure joy. Be a minister to your Lord today by becoming the servant of all.
Today’s scripture reading: Mark 15:33-41
33 Now when the sixth hour had come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour.
34 And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” which is translated, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”
35 Some of those who stood by, when they heard that, said, “Look, He is calling for Elijah!”
36 Then someone ran and filled a sponge full of sour wine, put it on a reed, and offered it to Him to drink, saying, “Let Him alone; let us see if Elijah will come to take Him down.”
37 And Jesus cried out with a loud voice, and breathed His last.
38 Then the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.
39 So when the centurion, who stood opposite Him, saw that He cried out like this and breathed His last, he said, “Truly this Man was the Son of God!”
40 There were also women looking on from afar, among whom were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the Less and of Joses, and Salome,
41 who also followed Him and ministered to Him when He was in Galilee, and many other women who came up with Him to Jerusalem.
The Daily Dose 