Week 46 – November 10-16, 2024: Seasons of Service

This week’s daily readings:

November 10-16, 2024

This week’s devotional:

Seasons of Service

by Sue Hersey

Scripture:

Joseph of Arimathea, a respected member of the council, who was also himself looking for the kingdom of God, took courage and went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. 

— Mark 15:43 (ESV)

Reflection:

For the past 44 years I’ve been working as a graphic artist at a place in Lexington. When I first started, I was living in Beverly with a 25-mile commute, so I was happy to join a carpool and share the ride. One of my fellow carpoolers happened to be the founder of the Good Friday Walk for Hunger: a charity that served the needy on the North Shore. Walkers asked friends and family to pledge money for them to walk the scenic 13 miles (half a marathon!) through Beverly, and the combined donations helped hundreds of people. When I first found out about it, I thought doing the walk would be a great way to honor Jesus and his sacrifice on the cross, but I didn’t have enough vacation time to take the day off of work. Instead, I volunteered to design a flyer to help advertise the walk and I served as their flyer artist for several years. 

In time, I was able to take the day off to participate. Even though I was much younger then, it was a grueling test of endurance for me, but one I did willingly in service to folks in need. I volunteered to walk for a number of years in a row, raised some money to fight hunger, and even encouraged a friend to join me. After a few years as a walker, I decided to hang up my sneakers. By then, I had moved from Beverly to Middleton. I still supported the walk financially, and still took a vacation day on Good Friday, but instead of making the Good Friday Walk, I attended a local 3-hour church service. At this stage of my life, this seemed a better way to observe Good Friday: to feed my soul and save my aching feet at the same time! 

As you probably know, all Christians have different gifts given by the Holy Spirit in order for us to serve our Lord and his Church. Joseph of Arimathea was no different. He served on the council and yet was a secret believer, but we don’t hear about him stepping up earlier in the chapter to defend Jesus when he faced his trial and condemnation. Joseph also didn’t serve like Jesus’ closest disciples, supporting his ministry. However, he did have a unique resource that other people could not offer: he owned a pristine tomb to lay Christ’s body in, and he volunteered to handle the burial. Joseph didn’t know how short a time Jesus would lay there when he offered his tomb, so it was a genuine sacrifice that only he could offer. Most likely, Joseph became “unclean” from handling Jesus’ dead body and would be unable to participate in worship on the Sabbath. Apparently, that was another sacrifice he was willing to make. In his Gospel, Mark records this as a bold act of service and nothing less. 

We all have different gifts to offer, but how we serve can change depending on what season of life we are in. Younger people are typically more capable of serving physically – think clean-up duty or serving coffee hour. No doubt, your church has ways that you can be made useful! Later in life, assuming faith and funds have grown, serving could mean teaching or giving monetarily. Consider this: how are you best able to serve with the gifts you have to offer at your present stage in life?

Prayer: 

Heavenly Father, I thank you for the many ways you bless us all as we walk through life. Sometimes I don’t even realize all I’ve been given and all I have to offer your Kingdom in return; and sometimes I just don’t want to give it up! Lord, open my eyes to the lessons in the Bible, all the people mentioned, and the different ways they served. Open my hands and show me the joy of sacrificial giving. Teach me how I can serve and pass the blessings on to others. I ask this boldly in the name of Jesus. Amen