A servant's heart

We may not be certain what our ministry is. Perhaps the Spirit has not yet shown us what our gift is, or if He has shown us, we may not have determined how to use it.  But we can prepare for our particular ministry by having a heart to minister. A servant's heart.
Last time we studied, we talked about a servant's heart being pure. Purity of heart as we serve a holy God, and as we serve others.

Today we will look again at chapter twelve of Nehemiah, and we will see that a servant needs a reverent heart. A heart ready to worship.

At the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem, the Levites were sought out from where they lived and were brought to Jerusalem to celebrate joyfully the dedication with songs of thanksgiving and with the music of cymbals, harps and lyres. (v. 27)

The choirs sang under the direction of Jezrahiah. 43 And on that day they offered great sacrifices, rejoicing because God had given them great joy. (v. 42b-43a) 

Have you ever wished that you could go back in time? I sure have. If I had a personal friend like Dr. Who, I would like to go back to some interesting Bible events. And this is sure one of them! Wouldn't it be cool to step out of the Tardis and see and hear the people worship? (Sorry, I'm getting geeky, here, with Who-vian references, but it would be great to participate in this huge worship service!)

I love the description here -- this was a time to praise the Lord. Nehemiah organized the singers into two choirs who walked in opposite directions on top of the wall until they met at the temple. (Ahh, there's another reason for making the wall wide enough at the top for people to walk on it!) The singers were accompanied by people making music with cymbals, harps, and lyres.

Several times in this passage about the worship service, Nehemiah refers to David: each time it is to point to a different aspect of the worship. Nehemiah mentions the interactive reading of the scripture; one group would say a section and then another would answer. He also mentions that the instruments were played in the way prescribed by David, and he says the purification, the music, and even the gatekeepers' conduct was done according to the commands of David and his son, Solomon.  One reason that David was a man "after God's own heart" must have been that he had a reverent heart. A heart ready to worship God. He had set up the whole system of worship that the people had learned about when the book of the Lord was read -- and they were attempting to emulate David's way of worship.
We may worship Him in different ways today, but to worship God is still to rejoice in Him and to extol His attributes and His actions -- His traits and His work in our lives. Having a reverent heart means that we treasure Him above all else. True worship is not just standing up when we're supposed to, and sitting down at the correct time, too. It's not just opening the hymnbook or the order of worship and singing a song. Worship engages the mind, the emotions, and the soul. It's a state of being. And God loves it!

"Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. 24 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.” (John 4;23-24)

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. (Romans 12:1)

No matter what we do as a servant, as a minister, it should flow out like a stream of worship for our God.

To go along with this (and maybe because of this reverent heart) a servant should have a joyful heart.

And on that day they offered great sacrifices, rejoicing because God had given them great joy. The women and children also rejoiced. The sound of rejoicing in Jerusalem could be heard far away. (v. 43)

These worship participants seem to be having a wonderful, memorable time! They even appear to be enjoying the worship time!  How many times have we seen people who are supposed to have the "joy of the Lord" within them looking glum walking into church? Even worse, looking mean or grumpy or sad or like their faces might break if they smiled, or, or ...... well, you get my drift.
Even the strange time we are living in, the time of the 2020 coronavirus pandemic, should not stomp on our joy! Scripture encourages us to rejoice in our blessings (you do remember to count them, right?) and to give glory to God.

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13)

Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 9 for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls. (I Peter 1:8-9)

Our gratitude to God should be easily seen -- gratitude for His love, mercy, and grace!  If it's our desire to minister to others, we need to have a pure heart . . . a reverent heart . . . and a heart full of joy.
We'll talk a bit more about the heart of a servant minister tomorrow.