This Lent season I’ve chosen to give up some time everyday to honor the Lord by writing about Him and what I’ve learned through this time. I decided to record this experience in a public forum so I could both hold myself accountable and might also encourage others. I was somewhat prepared for this exercise to be a challenge and have not been disappointed (if you catch my drift). In light of this challenge, I’ve found it helpful to simply ask myself, “where did I see God today?” When I take the time to look, I can always see Him somewhere in my day, and a subject is born.

Today I saw God in a room full of teens and adults. There were some friends and some strangers who came together for a common cause. That cause was to serve. It was inspiring to me, because I knew that God alone was the reason these people had gathered. He was the reason they were setting aside time to create gift packages to give to people in need. To make their lives better. To show them that they matter.

I smiled as I listened to them struggle to learn new skills, and sing praises to the Lord while they worked. I thanked God for creativity and planning to do something that beyond meeting a physical need would also become a means for demonstrating and teaching children about God’s plan for their future. I asked God to multiply these efforts and draw many into a deepening relationships with Him.

Romans 14:18 “because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and receives human approval.”

I know this is a simplification of this passage but the truth remains, serving Christ = pleasing to God + beneficial to man (which also results in approval). I don’t know that the math works, but I know that God’s plan and His word work.

My next question is where am I going to jump in and serve? Just because.

And where will you?