Receiving her phone call and invitation to lunch, I had a preconceived idea how our visit would go. I knew she was going through a difficult time and I had often provided a listening ear in the past. I prayed for the Lord to give me insight and understanding that I would know when and what to speak to be an encouragement to her. Can you imagine my surprise when we sat down, and after ordering our meal, she turned to me and said, "What's on your heart today?" Her question took my breath away. How wrong I was in my assumptions. In our time together she desired to minister to my heart.
In the vision that God gave Ezekiel, He shares how the descendants of Zadok are the ones who will minister to Him. Do we often pause and think about ministering to God's heart? Would we even know how? Not ministering for Him or with Him or in Him, but to Him. Is that even possible? Can we in all our frailty do anything at all that would be a ministry to the Lord?
One of the key things we need to see is that the descendants of Zadok approached the LORD to minister to Him. A basic condition to minister to the Lord is drawing near to Him. Drawing near requires stillness and solitude. Many of us find it much easier to be "doing" for the Lord. The problem with all our activity is that often it is done for self, just following our natural inclinations and doing things we personally desire to do with no thought of actually doing it to minister to God. Think of the service areas where we say 'yes'. I am not saying we cannot enjoy ministry opportunities, but how often is our 'yes' fueled by desiring to be with friends or wanting to be recognized? Do we primarily respond with the attitude that we are saying 'yes' to minister to the Lord?
To minister to God, we must draw near. As Watchman Nee writes, "It is impossible to stand afar off and still minister to Him. We cannot serve Him from a distance. There is only one place where ministry to Him is possible and this is the Holy Place. In the outer court you approach the people; in the Holy Place you approach the Lord."
Until we take time to approach Him and minister to His heart by waiting and listening in His presence, how can our lives delight His heart by our obedience? Simply serving because it seems good can be the greatest hinderance to what the Lord most desires for us, and that can only be determined by "approaching the LORD to minister to Him." Ministering to the Lord happens in a specific place. Further on in Ezekiel 44:16, concerning the descendants of Zadok, we read, "They shall enter into My sanctuary, and they shall come near to My table to minister unto Me, and they shall keep My charge." (KJV) "Ministry that is 'unto Me' is in the inner sanctuary, in the hidden place, not in the outer court, exposed to public view. People may think we are doing nothing, but service to God in the Holy Place far transcends service to the people in the outer court."
Responding to God's message today we need to examine ourselves. I am not advocating resigning from all ministry positions. If we are dedicated for a time, we need to honour our commitment and serve faithfully, but we must allow the Lord to reveal our motivation. Are we serving God from a place of ministering to Him, or are we serving the work? Is our ministry unto the Lord or primarily for others, that we are seen and appreciated? Ministry in the "outer court" can be more thrilling and exciting, but are we willing to forsake the glamour for God's glory and minister to Him in the "inner sanctuary"? The Lord does not so much require volunteers as He does recruits who have been called by Him and led to ministry through time in His presence. "It is service Godward that urges us out manward." Yes, we can have enjoyment in ministry, but first His joy must be made full. May we pray for grace that God will clearly show us what it means to "approach the LORD to minister to Him."
Quotes: Article: "Ministry to the Lord" - Watchman Nee
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