At church, our preacher challenged the congregation to partake in a different type of worship. He said, “What if we look at our service to others as a form of worshipping God?” When we help others, he explained, our spirits are uplifted by the task at hand.
For example, when you paint your house, you want to get it over with as fast as possible. But when you paint someone else’s house (say it’s for someone physically unable to do the job) it feels different because you’ve been inspired to help someone in need.
Something happens within us when we worship the Lord by turning an ordinary act into an act of service for others. Thanks to my wife, Elba, we decided to apply our preacher’s message the following week.
Instead of going to church on Sunday as we usually do, Elba insisted that we visit our friend Nancy who is suffering from dementia and had been moved to an assisted living community. At first I was reluctant to go, as these places can be very upsetting. But as it turned out, the blessings I received outweighed my fears.
When we arrived, Nancy and a male companion were enjoying a gorgeous summer day on the porch and though she didn’t recognize us at first, eventually she did. I reminded her how she made a contribution to help launch a Guideposts outreach program a while back—a program that now helps thousands of people. “I did that?” she asked. When I confirmed it, she smiled from ear to ear. We also engaged with her friend who was delighted to share about his World War II experiences. His mind was intact at 95 years old. I was impressed with his attitude, memory and, more importantly, his care for our friend.
Our visit only lasted about 35 minutes, but it blessed our hearts. God is everywhere, and on that Sunday morning His presence was on the porch with us. We weren’t in a church, but nonetheless we were experiencing the presence and love of God while visiting our dear friend. Just as our preacher challenged us, I now challenge you to do an act of worship through service for someone in need. You’ll witness God’s blessings.
Lord, teach us to worship You through our service for others.
