LIVING WATERS
For the proclamation of the Gospel and the edification of the Body of Christ
Spiritual Service (1)
Why is spiritual service preceded by a wait, in our opinion too long? Why is it not given to us to bear spiritual fruit as soon as we try to serve God?
When we consecrate ourselves to God, we usually want to go out quickly to render spiritual service; but usually that first attempt is unsuccessful. Why? Because we are unaware of the corruption of our flesh and its impossibility to serve God. Then God will lead us through a key experience that will allow us to truly know ourselves and Him. Before he can occupy a man, God makes sure that he is qualified to do so, that the strength used in that service and the fruit produced will be of God.
In the Old Testament there is an episode in the life of Israel that illustrates this (Num. 17). After Korah's rebellion, God prescribes a way to demonstrate who in Israel had the ministry and who did not. He commands Moses to take a rod for each tribe and present it before the tabernacle. All the rods were dry, lifeless. "The rod of the one I choose shall flourish", said the Lord.
So it is also in our case. When we consecrate ourselves, we offer our rod before the Lord (not before a human cause, however good it may be, but to the Lord). But this rod is dead, because we are unable to render spiritual service. Each rod bears our name (because consecration is personal), and the darkness and silence of the long night indicates that there is no life in us. All hope in ourselves vanishes.
Only in the morning did the rod of Aaron, of the tribe of Levi, blossom. God worked a miracle in that rod, for it not only greened up, but it blossomed and bore fruit. That showed that Aaron had the ministry in the sanctuary. This service did not come from Aaron's abilities but from the resurrection life granted by God.
Who can produce life but God? Who can come out of death but the resurrected Christ? What we can do without having gone through that long night is ours, and has no spiritual value. What is ours must die, and God must bring life out of that death in order to serve him. Waiting, then, represents the death of what is ours, until the morning of the resurrection arrives. In that night we realize that we cannot.
All our good opinion of ourselves falls shatteringly. Our dreams of greatness dissipate. Our personal vanity is severely challenged. Everything we try to do for God fails. Instead of blessing, we cause pain and confusion. We make enemies of men, and displease God. There is confusion, bewilderment. We come to despair.
But then, from the depths of our soul, a desperate cry rises up. We beg for mercy; we pray that the hand of God may touch us and quicken us. There is no more hope in us. And then God, who is rich in mercy, heals us of our grievous evil and raises us to life, a new life. Now we can serve him in the spirit.