Serv-atitude

STORY: Scout’s Promise

I grew up going to Girl Scouts. I started in Brownies in second grade. (That was before they had Daisies.) I walked with the girls from my troop to our leader’s home and we had day camp in the summer. Then I went through the bridging ceremony to move up to Juniors. We walked to our troop meetings at a church. After that, I advanced to Cadette and then Senior, earning my lifetime member status.

I know there’s been a lot of conflict over the current scouting administration, but when I was a girl, being a Girl Scout shaped me into the woman I am today—including my faith. We participated in Girl Scout Sunday, being exposed to many churches in town. I earned my God and Country, and God and Church badges.

The Girl Scout motto continues to be wise, through every season, stage, and state in my life. “Be prepared.” You’ve got that right! I had no idea as a kid how important that motto would be to equip me.

The Girl Scout promise has stuck with me all these years.

“On my honor, I will try:

To serve God and my country,

To help people at all times,

And to live by the Girl Scout Law.”

What would happen if we all lived by that promise?

STUDY: Serve God

"This is their rightful share. The special gifts presented to the Lord have been reserved for Aaron and his descendants from the time they were set apart to serve the Lord as priests." Leviticus 7:35 (NLT)

• Aaron and his descendants were set apart to serve the Lord. We have a different purpose in our lives. Have you ever thought about how you are set apart? What does it mean?
• From what are we set apart? To what are we set apart?
• Look up the Bible definition for the word sanctify. How does it apply to you?
• What happens when we’re set apart to serve?

"But be very careful to obey all the commands and the instructions that Moses gave to you. Love the Lord your God, walk in all his ways, obey his commands, hold firmly to him, and serve him with all your heart and all your soul." Joshua 22:5 (NLT)

• What does obedience to God’s commands have to do with showing love to the Lord?
• How does obedience influence the way we serve Him?
• What does it mean to walk in God’s ways?
• How are you holding firmly to God today? Does it help you to obey and serve Him?
• When you serve God with all your heart and with all your soul, you love Him so much you don’t want to disappoint Him by being disobedient. Obedience is a sign of trust.

“And Solomon, my son, learn to know the God of your ancestors intimately. Worship and serve him with your whole heart and a willing mind. For the Lord sees every heart and knows every plan and thought. If you seek him, you will find him. But if you forsake him, he will reject you forever." 1 Chronicles 28:9 (NLT)

• What instructions did David give his son Solomon in this verse? If David gave us the same advice, what steps for living would we pick up from him?
• How will you intimately learn to know God?
• What two ingredients are needful as we worship and serve God? What does it mean to do so with your whole heart? With a willing mind?
• David wanted to make sure his son knew he couldn’t hide anything from God. How does he spell that out for Solomon in this passage?

"Serve the Lord with reverent fear, and rejoice with trembling." Psalm 2:11 (NLT)

• How does the word reverent in front of the word fear change how we interpret the word fear when it comes to serving the Lord?
• Have you ever had so much reverent fear when you’ve served God, that you found yourself trembling as you rejoiced? What does that indicate?
• How do passion and fervor effect your worship and service for the Lord?

"But now we have been released from the law, for we died to it and are no longer captive to its power. Now we can serve God, not in the old way of obeying the letter of the law, but in the new way of living in the Spirit." Romans 7:6 (NLT)

• Paul wanted to make sure the readers of the letter to the Romans knew that the law of the Old Testament was still important, but a new way of living was available through Christ.
• How does the price Jesus paid change how we serve God? Does it mean we no longer have to obey the law?
• How do Christ-followers live in the newness of the Spirit as we serve God?

STEPS: What Serving the Lord Looks Like

1. Pray for others. “God knows how often I pray for you. Day and night I bring you and your needs in prayer to God, whom I serve with all my heart by spreading the Good News about his Son.” Romans 1:9 (NLT)
2. Worship Him. “Jesus replied, ‘The Scriptures say, ‘You must worship the Lord your God and serve only him.’” Luke 4:8 (NLT)
3. Think of His blessings. “But be sure to fear the Lord and faithfully serve him. Think of all the wonderful things he has done for you.” 1 Samuel 12:24 (NLT)
4. Have a singular focus. “I am saying this for your benefit, not to place restrictions on you. I want you to do whatever will help you serve the Lord best, with as few distractions as possible.” 1 Corinthians 7:35 (NLT)

Copyright © 2018 Kathy Carlton Willis, used with permission.