Serving God Has Never Been in Vain

Sometimes in serving God we may feel like it's all in vain, like there is no benefit to what we are doing. Time and time again God reminds us in His Word that serving Him has never been in vain. Let us look at a few stories from the Bible that demonstrate this, so that you and I can be encouraged to keep serving God, and serve Him with all we have. 

2 Kings 4:1-7

A certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets cried out to Elisha, saying, “Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that your servant feared the Lord. And the creditor is coming to take my two sons to be his slaves.” 2 So Elisha said to her, “What shall I do for you? Tell me, what do you have in the house?” And she said, “Your maidservant has nothing in the house but a jar of oil.” 3 Then he said, “Go, borrow vessels from everywhere, from all your neighbors—empty vessels; do not gather just a few. 4 And when you have come in, you shall shut the door behind you and your sons; then pour it into all those vessels, and set aside the full ones.” 5 So she went from him and shut the door behind her and her sons, who brought the vessels to her; and she poured it out. 6 Now it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said to her son, “Bring me another vessel.” And he said to her, “There is not another vessel.” So the oil ceased. 7 Then she came and told the man of God. And he said, “Go, sell the oil and pay your debt; and you and your sons live on the rest.”

The Bible doesn’t identify the name of the widow, but just calls her “another woman”. The exciting thing is that she was a widow to a prophet. What made her be known as she is today is that she was a widow to a prophet, and stood by God’s servant for a while. This is an indication that serving God has never been in vain. Many a times we serve God through serving men. Though servants of God are called thus, when we serve men in honour of God and at His Word then we serve God directly (Matt. 10:40-42, 25:40). As the woman served her husband, she was serving God, and so when she made her request to God through Elisha, she was heard.

The husband to the widow, who was a prophet, had died and left behind debts. Even though the prophet was dead, the widow was still heard. Elisha did not even enquire who the prophet was, where he was from and so on; soon as he heard that the widow had been a wife to a prophet, he went forward to ask her how to help her. There is a divine connection with you and your generation when you serve God, and just as the widow and her family benefited through the work the prophet did for God, our families also benefit when we serve God. The prophet of God, just like us, must at one point must have wondered if he was serving God in vain, being even in debts. The story of the widow and how God took care of her needs shows us that God saw all the work her husband did, and has a book of remembrance for our labour

For God is not unjust to forget your work and labor of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister. Hebrews 6:10
When she had a need, God met it in abundance, not just what was enough to meet her present needs. When God rewards us for our labour, it is always in abundance.

When serving God you may feel like times have passed, and there seems to be nothing coming forth from your relationship with God. Even Abraham got here, when he asked God how come he still didn’t have an heir, whereas God kept telling him that He’ll make him a father of many nations:

After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying, “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your exceedingly great reward.” But Abram said, “Lord God, what will You give me, seeing I go childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” 3 Then Abram said, “Look, You have given me no offspring; indeed one born in my house is my heir!” Genesis 15:1-3

At such times, we need to always remember that serving God has never been in vain.

2 Kings 6:8-17
Now it happened one day that Elisha went to Shunem, where there was a notable woman, and she persuaded him to eat some food. So it was, as often as he passed by, he would turn in there to eat some food. 9 And she said to her husband, “Look now, I know that this is a holy man of God, who passes by us regularly. 10 Please, let us make a small upper room on the wall; and let us put a bed for him there, and a table and a chair and a lampstand; so it will be, whenever he comes to us, he can turn in there.” 11 And it happened one day that he came there, and he turned in to the upper room and lay down there. 12 Then he said to Gehazi his servant, “Call this Shunammite woman.” When he had called her, she stood before him. 13 And he said to him, “Say now to her, ‘Look, you have been concerned for us with all this care. What can I do for you? Do you want me to speak on your behalf to the king or to the commander of the army?’” She answered, “I dwell among my own people.” 14 So he said, “What then is to be done for her?” And Gehazi answered, “Actually, she has no son, and her husband is old.” 15 So he said, “Call her.” When he had called her, she stood in the doorway.16 Then he said, “About this time next year you shall embrace a son.” And she said, “No, my lord. Man of God, do not lie to your maidservant!” 17 But the woman conceived, and bore a son when the appointed time had come, of which Elisha had told her.

The Bible calls the Shunammite woman a “notable” woman, and I believe one of the reasons this is so is because she discerned that Elisha was not just any other man, but rather a prophet of God. When we walk with God, we will discern who is from God and who isn’t, and when we discern who is from God we will know who we will serve, and by extension serve God. We cannot serve everyone; only when we allow God to lead us will we know who to serve, when, and so on. He will show us who to give, when, what and so on. The Shunammite woman discerned that Elisha was a man of God, and also knew what to do, that is construct a place of stay for Elisha and his servant. Sometimes events may come our way and we miss out on God’s purpose for the events. This is why we need to rely on God to show us His intentions and purpose concerning the events.

The Shunammite woman, because she honoured the servant of God and served him, was called and Elisha asked her what she needed. Because she had connected herself to the servant of God, and by extension to God, her barrenness came to an end. The woman didn’t know she was consciously serving God, but she was, as she hosted the servant of God. When the time comes for us to reap a reward as a result of our service to God, He will ensure that we get our reward. The key is not to despair, or stop serving God:

And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Galatians 6:9
At the season of God, He brings to accomplishment His purpose. The Shunammite woman received her miracle, in God’s timing.

2 Kings 4:18-35
And the child grew. Now it happened one day that he went out to his father, to the reapers. 19 And he said to his father, “My head, my head!” So he said to a servant, “Carry him to his mother.” 20 When he had taken him and brought him to his mother, he sat on her knees till noon, and then died. 21 And she went up and laid him on the bed of the man of God, shut the door upon him, and went out. 22 Then she called to her husband, and said, “Please send me one of the young men and one of the donkeys, that I may run to the man of God and come back.” 23 So he said, “Why are you going to him today? It is neither the New Moon nor the Sabbath.” And she said, “It is well.” 24 Then she saddled a donkey, and said to her servant, “Drive, and go forward; do not slacken the pace for me unless I tell you.” 25 And so she departed, and went to the man of God at Mount Carmel. So it was, when the man of God saw her afar off, that he said to his servant Gehazi, “Look, the Shunammite woman! 26 Please run now to meet her, and say to her, ‘Is it well with you? Is it well with your husband? Is it well with the child?’” And she answered, “It is well.” 27 Now when she came to the man of God at the hill, she caught him by the feet, but Gehazi came near to push her away. But the man of God said, “Let her alone; for her soul is in deep distress, and the Lord has hidden it from me, and has not told me.” 28 So she said, “Did I ask a son of my lord? Did I not say, ‘Do not deceive me’?” 29 Then he said to Gehazi, “Get yourself ready, and take my staff in your hand, and be on your way. If you meet anyone, do not greet him; and if anyone greets you, do not answer him; but lay my staff on the face of the child.” 30 And the mother of the child said, “As the Lord lives, and as your soul lives, I will not leave you.” So he arose and followed her. 31 Now Gehazi went on ahead of them, and laid the staff on the face of the child; but there was neither voice nor hearing. Therefore he went back to meet him, and told him, saying, “The child has not awakened.” 32 When Elisha came into the house, there was the child, lying dead on his bed.33 He went in therefore, shut the door behind the two of them, and prayed to theLord. 34 And he went up and lay on the child, and put his mouth on his mouth, his eyes on his eyes, and his hands on his hands; and he stretched himself out on the child, and the flesh of the child became warm. 35 He returned and walked back and forth in the house, and again went up and stretched himself out on him; then the child sneezed seven times, and the child opened his eyes.

When the child fell ill while with the father, the father knew that the wife was a notable woman, and took the son to the mother. The mother knew what to do, when the son died, and as a result the son resurrected. There is resurrection as we walk with God, serving God. 

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. John 11:25

As we serve God and follow His ways, He causes resurrection in areas that we wouldn’t even be aware of. There is resurrection to the dry bones, to hopelessness, despair and so on. As we serve God, let’s not do so looking at temporary and quick rewards. God’s rewards for our service will not always come quick, but it will surely come. God is never late. There is resurrection, in serving God. We have resurrection life in us, and will always experience it as we walk with God, focusing on and serving Him.

There are rewards in serving God.

Acts 9:36-43
At Joppa there was a certain disciple named Tabitha, which is translated Dorcas. This woman was full of good works and charitable deeds which she did.37 But it happened in those days that she became sick and died. When they had washed her, they laid her in an upper room. 38 And since Lydda was near Joppa, and the disciples had heard that Peter was there, they sent two men to him, imploring him not to delay in coming to them. 39 Then Peter arose and went with them. When he had come, they brought him to the upper room. And all the widows stood by him weeping, showing the tunics and garments which Dorcas had made while she was with them. 40 But Peter put them all out, and knelt down and prayed. And turning to the body he said, “Tabitha, arise.” And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up. 41 Then he gave her his hand and lifted her up; and when he had called the saints and widows, he presented her alive.42 And it became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed on the Lord.43 So it was that he stayed many days in Joppa with Simon, a tanner.

Dorcas served God, through serving men. She didn’t know that what she was doing would bring her resurrection when she died. You may also not fathom what God can do, as you serve Him, and His rewards for serving Him. The truth is, your service is not in vain. Don’t serve God for rewards. Just serve Him, and leave rewards to Him. Serve Him because you love Him, just as the people in our examples didn’t know of the rewards coming, but just served wholeheartedly. Just like them, there comes a time that the things we do for God speak for us when we can’t speak, and these things represent us at these moments, and our rewards manifest then.

Zechariah is another example of someone who served God, and was rewarded with a son, the greatest prophet to ever live (Matt. 11:11a). The angel of the Lord appeared to Zechariah as he was serving God, during his duty of service (Lk. 1:5-25). The angel of the Lord appeared to him with his reward, and even though he was old, and having not given up hope or given up zeal to serve God, he received his reward at the end. God is God, so don’t give up while serving God. What if Zechariah got tired of serving God “in vain”, and chose to stay at home on that day when the angel appeared to him at the temple? He’d have missed out on his reward. Let us serve God, even if we are not seeing any rewards. God will show up with our rewards in His own time. We have and will never serve God in vain. Let us serve God and ask Him to help us serve Him with zeal. The journey is long, so let’s keep forging ahead, serving God with all our hearts.

Again, let us not serve God with rewards in mind; let’s serve Him, and leave the rewards to Him. May He help us serve Him, and be sensitive to who we’re giving our services to, to avoid serving at the wrong place. There is divine connection as we serve God, as He connects us to who to serve, with who to serve and so on. He will lead us in His ways. Let’s serve God earnestly, without looking at ourselves.

    Beverline Andati

Sunday Service Teaching, Transformation Ministry, Ruiru.

Sister Beverline is a the Praise and Worship Leader at Teaching Transformation Ministry. We are located along the Thika-Ruai Flyover Junction (at the Thika Rd./ Bypass intersection), Next to Eastgate Restaurant.