The trail to heaven is littered with casualties—victims of misguided priorities or the worship of need-driven agendas. These wounded souls once burned bright in their zeal to serve God. They played clarion songs for the poor and engaged in rescuing the oppressed with fervor capable of melting granite skeptics into milky wax. They gave sacrificially with glad hearts. So what happened that they should be reduced to bitter herbs and poured out ashes?
John 12:3-8--Then Mary took a pound of fragrant oil—pure and expensive nard—anointed Jesus’ feet, and wiped His feet with her hair. So the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil. Then one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot (who was about to betray Him), said, “Why wasn’t this fragrant oil sold for 300 denarii and given to the poor?” He didn’t say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief. He was in charge of the money-bag and would steal part of what was put in it. Jesus answered, “Leave her alone; she has kept it for the day of My burial. For you always have the poor with you, but you do not always have Me.”
“For you always have the poor with you.” Jesus uttered these words to a man whose heart no longer leaped in the presence of holiness. Judas Iscariot had grown impatient and tired of the Man of Sorrows. Seduced by ideals and his own noble agenda, he abandoned God’s truth for Satan’s deception. Judas became an open conduit through whom Lucifer could work his patented back-stabbing betrayal.
When what we do (ministry), becomes more important than who we know, we are in trouble. If our eyes are not fixed on Jesus what we are fixing eventually may destroy us. Problem-solving is not what keeps us spiritually vibrant, Jesus is. We take on needs as God leads because He is the One we are to follow. He is the One who gives us the strength to labor.
Beware of the Christian leader who says “I don’t have time to pray I’m too busy with ministry.” Do you want to be led by one who disdains the need to spend time with God? If you know a leader like that, humbly inquire, “How can I encourage you to make the time to be with God?” Our Father never intended for ministry to become a mistress or our dictator. How can He be pleased if feeding others takes away our own appetite for the Bread of Life?
Does this mean we should ignore needs? Certainly not! For as many as burn out by making ministry their first love, there are three times as many people not meeting needs because it is inconvenient or unattractive. The key is safeguarding our sacred priority to know Christ and to obey the leading of His Holy Spirit. Jesus never said, “You shall know the need and the need shall set you free.” Don’t become a casualty!
The need is never the call. The need is the opportunity.—Oswald Chambers inThe Servant as His Lord
©1998 Daniel York ARR. Reveration is the weekly devotional ministry of First Cause. If you would like to receive these devotionals go to www.firstcause.org and click on the “Click here to receive weekly devotionals” box. Unlimited permission to copy this devotional without altering text or profiteering is allowed subject to inclusion of this copyright notice.
Ecclesiastes 12:10-The Teacher sought to find delightful sayings and to accurately write words of truth. (Holman CSB)