Giving Account of Service

Gen 44:34 For how shall I go up to my father, and the lad be not with me? lest peradventure I see the evil that shall come on my father.

There is a sense of giving account of service that is getting lost to many. There is an accounting for all we say, all we do not say, what we have been asked to do or not do and how we discharge duties given to us. There is an account on if we succeeded based on the indicator of the one who sent us – God. Judah knows his work is a failure if he brings back sacks of food and great treasures from Egypt and Benjamin is absent. Unfortunately, many in ministry now accord emphasis to human indicators of success – size of our church, funds in the bank, how quickly we climbed the church career totem pole and our acceptance and popularity. These are good but not always God’s measures and can actually lead to corruption. God may have set a target for you to watch over one soul in your 1000 man church and if that soul is lost to the enemy you have failed. God may have set a target to impact a small community by selfless giving and showing Christian love … and even if you did not receive any applause God can check if His targets were met.

We need a personal walk with God to know what God has asked us to do and how we are to do it. God gives instructions, gives us His goals and explains the methods we are to use. We fail if we deviate from any of these …and the end does NOT justify the means. Judah has a sense of accountability and fears to fail …his measure of failure is linked to Benjamin his brother. In similar fashion, I suspect God cares for people – especially those we do not care for ….much more than we think. He may be more interested in how you look after that widow than the size of your church. May God help us to truly know Him.

Song.

Rescue the perishing, care for the dying,

Snatch them in pity from sin and the grave;

Weep o’er the erring one, lift up the fallen,

Tell them of Jesus, the mighty to save.

Rescue the perishing, care for the dying;

Jesus is merciful, Jesus will save.

Tho’ they are slighting Him, still He is waiting,

Waiting the penitent child to receive;

Plead with them earnestly, plead with them gently:

He will forgive if they only believe.

Down in the human heart, crushed by the tempter,

Feelings lie buried that grace can restore;

Touched by a loving heart, wakened by kindness,

Chords that were broken will vibrate once more.

Rescue the perishing, duty demands it;

Strength for thy labor the Lord will provide;

Back to the narrow way patiently win them;

Tell the poor wand’rer a Savior has died.

Prayer: Lord, May I not fail in my responsibility for the perishing. Amen

The Songs of Joseph is an integration of encouragement scriptural devotions, prayers and a compendium of songs of mercy, salvation, new beginnings and victory. We can expect as we trust and obey that our end will indeed be ultimately glorious because God works His marvellous agenda. Be blessed as you read and sing along, daily. Edited by Bolade Apampa