Dear Brothers,

Just a quick note before I head off to bed. I was reading Luke 17 and I came across something that seemed to ring different since the previous times I’ve read this passage. To be honest, I’m not sure why, but it seemed as if this was the first time I read this chapter (and I know for certain that I’ve read the book of Luke before). This is the part of Lukc that spoke to me differently:

The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” He replied, “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you.” Suppose one of you had a servant plowing or looking after the sheep. Would he say to the servant when he comes in from the field, ‘Come along now and sit down to eat’? Would he not rather say, ‘Prepare my supper, get yourself ready and wait on me while I eat and drink; after that you may eat and drink’? Would he thank the servant because he did what he was told to do? So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.’ “

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve asked God to “increase my faith”.  Also what rings true is that there are many times that I have done things for God hoping to get a blessing of some sort (even when I don’t deserve it). It’s kind of like a pat on the back from God. This is a bit selfish and more inward thinking than outward, but what REALLY hit home was the word “duty”.  

In the past I either must of glanced over this word or just didn’t connect the dots, but  ”duty” is something I can identify with. Being in the military for eight years, you understand that duty means something that you are obligated to do. It is my duty to serve my country. It is my duty to protect my family. So now I hear the word “duty” as an act to serve God. Serving God, our King, isn’t just something we do for some type of payback, or to reserve a seat closer to God at the dinner table, it is our duty – or obligation to serve Him at the capacity he sees us fulfilling… our mission so-to-speak.

So here is my question for you brothers. What is your duty? Your mission? Generally speaking, we all know that we want to serve God, but what do you believe God’s mission is for you? I encourage you to start, or continue, your journey reading the bible and praying (talking) with God. Perhaps you too will have a revelation (sorry for the pun) on a few choice words that you never read or overlooked in the past.

Thanks and feel free to share your thoughts.

Don’t forget. Tomorrow will be our continuation of Phillipeans. We’ll cover chapter 2. Until then, please pray for me as I have two job interviews this thursday. One is for a position in Aberdeen, South Dakota and the other is here in Sioux Falls. Also, my two year son will be having surgery in the morning and will be in the hospital until the next day for observations. Thanks in advance.

Cheers,

Mark