Personally, I am in what my friend Joan W. refers to as a time of 'betwixt and between.'* In a new geographic location, having moved away from my previous ministry as worship leader (and occasional teacher) at a wonderful little 'manger' of a church, I am unsure how and where and what the Lord wants me doing, now that I'm retired from full-time work.
However, as I read repeated references to 'ministering to the Lord,' I heard the Lord say, "Why don't you focus on ministering to Me? I enjoy your ministry. I figured I must have made that up in my head, because why would the God Who created the solar system and universe upon universe need or want 'ministry' from little me...or from anyone?
The truth is, according to His Word, He is blessed by our loving on Him. All of us. Want to 'lead worship,' encouraging intimacy with the Lord by the music you choose? Sing to Him, all by yourself. Want an outlet for what you're learning from Him? Tell Him how excited you are about what you're learning. Want to create beautiful paintings of His creation? Draw pictures of you and Him together.
I am a consummate stick figure artist. Yet, God has been guiding me in expressing the love I have for Him (and He for me) through little sketches no one but He sees. We laugh together over them, but He isn't ridiculing my attempts. He tells me He enjoys my art. He'll do the same for you. (I found a really good eraser..not those awful ones on the end of pencils.) He'll say, "Try it this way."
He's opened my eyes to what is around me so that individual elements in His creation almost vibrate before me as He calls my attention to them. I tell Him, "Wow, Lord, that flower is such an amazing work of art! Look at the detailing! I want to draw that. My efforts may be woefully inadequate, but my heart sincerely desires to express how lovely I find this world in which He lovingly placed us.
We take walks together. Sometimes I forget He's with me, as my mind wanders around. I tell Him I'm sorry I forgot He was there by my side. I don't want to forget...ever. Sometimes he directs me down certain streets so I discover hidden spots of quiet beauty. He'll do it for you.
Sometimes we dance. He will dance with you as if there's no one else in the world.
Just let Him know you want to 'love on Him' in ways that please and minister Him. He enjoys us. He enjoys interacting with us, as true friends do. Not everything is of cosmic import to Him. He likes being with us, laughing with us, playing jokes on us, and drawing out the unique personalities, gifts, and eccentricities He created in us. He likes to have fun with us.
Ministering to the Lord is, yes, praise. It's telling Him how much You appreciate Him, not only for what He's done, but for Who He is. It's sincere and devoted worship. It's affectionate reverence. It's pushing aside other demands to spend 'devotional' time with Him. It's hungering after what He has to say to us, in both His written and spoken Word. It's loving on others in His Name. But, most of all, I believe, it is getting to know Him more and more intimately, so that our lives are filled with ongoing interaction, spoken and unspoken, in joyful abandon to Who He is.
You might say, "I could never do those things you do. It's just not me. Well, just be you! Ask the Lord to show you what He considers ministry to Him from you. He only created one of you, and your experience with Him will be unique. He doesn't want you to be anyone but you with Him. But you might discover, when you stop predetermining what you can and can't do with Him, that He'll surprise you with a new form of Yetser. [Translated in the Scriptures as all of these: imagination, meditation, frame, and conception.] Are you open to new conceptions as you minister to the Lord?
********************************************
*Betwixt and Between, by Joan Weller
** Here are some Scriptures referring to 'ministering to the Lord.' I can't put them all here, or you'd never get through them all.
Psalm 17:15 15 As for me, I will continue beholding Your face in righteousness (rightness, justice, and right standing with You); I shall be fully satisfied, when I awake [to find myself] beholding Your form [and having sweet communion with You].
****************************************************************************
Psalm 16: 1 Keep and protect me, O God, for in You I have found refuge, and in You do I put my trust and hide myself.
2 I say to the Lord, You are my Lord; I have no good beside or beyond You.
5 The Lord is my chosen and assigned portion, my cup; You hold and maintain my lot.
6 The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; yes, I have a good heritage.
7 I will bless the Lord, Who has given me counsel; yes, my heart instructs me in the night seasons.
8 I have set the Lord continually before me; because He is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.
9 Therefore my heart is glad and my glory [my inner self] rejoices; my body too shall rest and confidently dwell in safety,
*******************************************************************************2 Chronicles 5:13-14 Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC)
13 And when the trumpeters and singers were joined in unison, making one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the Lord, and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and other instruments for song and praised the Lord, saying, For He is good, for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever, then the house of the Lord was filled with a cloud,
14 So that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord filled the house of God.
*************************************************************
2 Chronicles 6:41 41 So now arise, O Lord God, and come into Your resting place, You and the ark of Your strength and power. Let Your priests, O Lord God, be clothed with salvation, and let Your saints (Your zealous ones) rejoice in good and in Your goodness.*******************************************************
2 Chronicles 30:
21 And the Israelites who were in Jerusalem kept the Feast of Unleavened Bread for seven days with great joy. The Levites and priests praised the Lord day by day, singing with instruments of much volume to the Lord.
*************************************************************
27 Then the priests and Levites arose and blessed the people; and their voice was heard and their prayer came up to [God’s] holy habitation in heaven
***************************************************************
2 Chronicles 31:2 2 And Hezekiah appointed the priests and the Levites after their divisions, each man according to his service, the priests and Levites for burnt offerings and for peace offerings, to minister, to give thanks, and to praise in the gates of the camp of the Lord.
*******************************************************
2 Chronicles 29:27-28 "...the song of the Lord began also with the trumpets and with the instruments ordained by King David of Israel.
28 And all the congregation worshiped, the singers sang, and the trumpeters sounded; all this continued until the burnt offering was finished.
30 Also King Hezekiah and the princes ordered the Levites to sing praises to the Lord with the words of David and of Asaph the seer. And they sang praises with gladness and bowed themselves and worshiped.
31 Then Hezekiah said, Now you have consecrated yourselves to the Lord; come near and bring sacrifices and thank offerings into the house of the Lord.
**************************************************************
1 Chronicles 6:32
32 They ministered before the tabernacle of the Tent of Meeting with singing until Solomon had built the Lord’s house in Jerusalem, performing their service in due order.
**************************************************************
Exodus 40:34-35 Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC)
34 Then the cloud [the Shekinah, God’s visible presence] covered the Tent of Meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle!
35 And Moses was not able to enter the Tent of Meeting because the cloud remained upon it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.
Isaiah 40:31
ReplyDelete31 But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
I always thought that for me waiting upon the Lord was to serve him, like a waitress or servant. Not waiting for Him but waiting upon him! Thus we minister to Him. Amen