Relationship, Then Service

eDevotion

Encouragement for your daily walk with God

Solomon set out to build a Tabernacle for the Lord. What was the most important thing for him to do; Hire a competent architect? Gather the best builders money could buy? Shop for the best bargains on building materials? Orchestrate exciting service activities for the worshippers? 

Actually, none of these things were the main thing to build the Tabernacle. When the Lord spoke to Solomon about it, He told him to "SEEK THE LORD!" If I grasp what the Lord is getting at here, He’s saying that our relationship with God is more important than service. 

That may be hard for some of you to grasp because, if you are like me, the churches you attended as a youngster, focused on our spiritual activity, and would orally reprimand us if we weren’t involved “in the service of the Lord.”

So, first things first; build up your relationship with God. Worship will shape the activities we pursue—our “service for the Lord.” One great benefit of that is that we will not be motivated out of obligation, but of love for the Lord.  

Remember - relationship first, then service. Keep the first thing the first thing.

Now set your mind and heart to seek the Lord your God. Arise and build the sanctuary of the Lord God, so that the ark of the covenant of the Lord and the holy vessels of God may be brought into a house built for the name of the Lord. 1st Chronicles 22:19