Ministered to Him
and Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod’s steward, and Susanna, and many others which ministered to Him of their substance. Luke 8:3
If you have been following the Daily Dose for a while, you know a little about my back story. But if you are new to the dose, let me just tell you my life was a hot mess. I have heard many testimonies in my lifetime about God rescuing people from past hurts and predicament, but many of them were because of what others had done to them and how they had been the victim of many evils. That’s really not my story. All the pits I fell into were self-inflicted. Sure, I had some wrongs done to me, but that was because of the position I had put myself in and the bad decisions I was making time after time. I have even read books about people that were forgiven or able to move on in life because it was someone else’s fault that they fell by the wayside.
My saga is one of running and leaving. Most of my young life was spent running away from problems and leaving people who hurt me in my dust. I looked like I was tough on the outside, but really, I just kept ending up alone and afraid. Many times, I called out to God for help. He did help me, but I didn’t change my direction or my decision-making process, so it wasn’t long before I hit another land mine. Looking back now, I feel sad that I wasted many years of my life that I could have been making an impact for God’s kingdom, but I was too caught up in my selfish ways. When I finally came to myself, my Father was there for me every step of the way. He ministered His grace to me; He ministered His love and He filled me with His Spirit. He never told me I had to go back and put back together all the broken pieces I had left behind. Nope, He did all that. In fact, now He has a place for me. A place where I can be a blessing to Him by blessing others. Now my life is all about what can I do to minister to Him my love and appreciation for all He has rescued me from.
In today’s reading, there is a list of women that ministered to Jesus through their gifts into His ministry. I’m sure they gave food and material needs, but they also gave financially to His mission. What a blessing they were to Him while He walked in this world. We know their giving blessed the Father, too. So much that He made sure there was a record of it in His book.
This is how I want to live my life today. Ministering to God. Oh I know I cannot actually walk up to Him and give Him gifts. Besides, what would He want with anything from this world? But I can minister to Him by giving to others. By blessing ministries and even sick and hurting people, I am ministering my love to Him. He is blessed when I bless His people and He is honored when I honor others by loving and caring for them in any capacity they may need. I am so thankful for His salvation and for rescuing me from the miry clay that now I will spend all of my days praising Him and giving at every opportunity I have.
Today I want to encourage you too to minister to God from your substance. Wherever you can be a blessing to others, you can be a blessing to your heavenly father. You may not have been rescued from the drudges of society like I was, but you were still rescued from an eternity of suffering separated from the One who loves you. Honor and worship Him today be reaching out to those in need. Be on the watch for every opportunity to share His love with those lost ones around you. Minister to your heavenly Father from all the He has blessed your life with. Who knows? Maybe He is keeping a recorded account of your giving too?
Today’s scripture reading: Luke 8:1-3
1 And it came to pass afterward, that he went throughout every city and village, preaching and shewing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God: and the twelve were with him,
2 and certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils,
3 and Joanna the wife of Chuza Herod’s steward, and Susanna, and many others, which ministered unto him of their substance.
The Daily Dose 