Ramblings of a Changing Man: Motive

by Steve Ferber

Tammy and I went to church last night for corporate prayer.  As Elizabeth opened up the prayer time she spoke of a few areas that she felt God was leading us to pray in, two of those were an enlarged heart and the harvest.  When we broke into different groups for prayer I held back for a few minutes waiting on the Lords direction, I had interest in three different areas and needed to know which way to proceed.

 

As I approached the group praying for the harvest Kathy was praying about taking the medals off our chest.  I have been meditating on this off and on thru out the night.  It seems to me that those medals might represent recognition that I have received, or taken, for things I have done.  What could be wrong with that?  Motive.

My dad served during the Korean War as a Master Sergeant.  He did not talk about it much, but when he did it was usually about the lousy weather and the food they ate.  Rarely would he say anything about being on the front line.  In the last years of his life he showed us the bronze star that he received. When I asked him what he did to deserve this he said that he did not do anything that anyone else would have done.  My son also served in the war on terror.  He served two combat tours, one in Afghanistan as a heavy machine gunner and one in Iraq as a Sniper.  Like his grandfather he does not talk much about his combat experience, but I did learn a little about what motivates him.  Medals and recognition did not motivate him; his motivation was to protect those that he was with and to accomplish the mission.  Neither man's motivation was to be recognized back home for what they had done.

Do we know what really motivates us in our service to the Lord?  When was the last time that you examined your heart?  David cried out “Create in me a pure heart O Lord”.  In Psalm 51: 10-12 David not only speaks of a pure heart but also asks God to grant him a willing spirit to sustain him.  David knew that he could not do this on his own, but needed Gods help to create and sustain a right attitude and motivation in his life.

Let us become more Christ like together, not seeking rewards or stature but becoming servants of the most high God.  For who would deserve more recognition, a rich man who gives a million dollars or the poor woman who gives her last dollar?

May God's mercy and grace be upon us as we fulfill His calling to be a House of Prayer here at New Life.  May He continue filling us daily with His Holy Spirit, granting us a willing spirit so that we will be able to die to self and become more like Christ.