When someone found out I was in the military, the first question always asked was “where do you serve?” I would respond, like many of my peers, and mention my job, my unit and my base or station. If the individual had military experience we would talk about our postings. We knew our postings were the places we worked, lived, raised our families, developed relationships and went to church; they were our homes. The first posting always seemed to be the best and it was the one all others were compared against. Our next posting was the anticipated best one as it was the one we asked for. Often, our current posting was the one we liked the least. How we viewed our postings somehow equated to how we valued ourselves.
I wonder if we think about our relationship with God or the way we serve Him in a similar manner. Do we think about where we are now, where we were and where we should be? Do we remember with joy our initial encounter with God and how we chose to become a follower and had a desire to do anything for Him? Do we use that time frame as a measuring point to which we compare our current relationship with God? Do we long to get back to that initial excitement or desire to have even more in our walk with Jesus? It is not wrong to reflect on our relationship, however, do we allow our past experiences or future expectations to hinder our current service and relationship with God? Do thoughts that “God has a plan for me” blind us to what is right in front of us?
God has a purpose for each of us and it can mean that today we do everything with committed hearts, mind and soul. Churches, Christian organizations, workplaces and even families need us today. They need us to recognize that we are needed now and not when we figure out the PLAN. Our current church, job, and communities are where we raise our families and develop relationship and so we should willingly offer our all? Life is ever changing and so we need to be prepared to change without destroying the homes we have created. Our relationship with God is also ever changing. When we are seeking to give it all, God offers us transforming grace, which is based on our current circumstances, relationships and areas of service. He can choose to physically move us or He can grow us where we are so as to contribute even more to our churches, workplaces, communities and families.
Look to serve. Look to grow closer to God and to those you are in relationship with. Look to become Christ-like. However don’t look too far or you may miss what is in front of you. Believe that where you are is where you can serve.