How do we find the balance between serving Jesus and savouring Him?
By serving the Lord, I mean service like full-time Christian ministry on the mission field, local church, or parachurch organization. I also think of non-full-time service, such as using our gifts and talents in some way in our local church. Even our occupation can be done as service to the Lord (Ephesians 6:5–7).
Scripture is full of admonitions about serving the Lord. The Lord told Abraham, “Serve me faithfully and live a blameless life,” (Genesis 17:1). Israel was told, “You must serve only the Lord your God,” (Exodus 23:25). Christians are commanded, “Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically,” (Romans 12:11). And, “Do whatever will help you serve the Lord best, with as few distractions as possible,” (1 Corinthians 7:35).
By savouring the Lord, I mean enjoying, cherishing, and treasuring Him. Psalm 37:4 says, “Take delight in the Lord.” And in Psalm 43:4, David calls God “the source of all my joy.” Paul exhorts us, “Whatever happens, my dear brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord,” (Philippians 3:1).
We see the contrast between serving and savouring Jesus in the story of Mary and Martha in Luke 10:38–41. Jesus stops at their house to rejuvenate and relax. While there, Mary seats herself at Jesus’ feet enjoying and savouring Him as He talks and teaches. Meanwhile, Martha, like any good host, is serving. She’s busy preparing a big dinner. But the telling phrase is, “But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made,” (Luke 10:40 NIV).
Distracted from what? Or should we ask, from Whom? Martha was so wrapped up in serving the Lord that she was distracted from savouring Jesus.
That can happen to us too. We can serve God but miss out on that needful thing of delighting in Jesus. Like Martha, we are anxious and distracted by many things including our service for Him. Yes, only one thing is needful in life, which is taking the time to sit at the feet of Jesus, worship Him, and delight in His presence. All service and activity without delighting in our Lord will turn our service into drudgery and missing out on the abundant life that Jesus promised (John 10:10).
Note that the Lord doesn’t rebuke Martha for her service. Preparations were needed. Food was required. We ought not think that what the Lord is commending here is that we should do nothing but spend time enjoying Him and not taking care of other things. It is important to keep the balance between serving and savouring.
Martha’s problem was not that she was busy, but that she had the wrong focus and attitude. We read in verse 40 she finally blows up: She came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”
This had become all about her! She wasn’t doing her work and delighting in the Lord. She was focused on herself instead of the Lord. This balance, it seems to me, is key. Whatever our hand finds to do, we are to do it with all our heart. However, whatever we do, we are to do it focused on the Lord, enjoying and savouring Him.
We must learn to balance service with savouring Jesus. Christianity is a love relationship, not a legal relationship. Living the Christian life revolves around enjoying a Person, not performing a service. If we strive only for performance, we lose sight of the Person we are to love and enjoy on a daily basis. When we are focused only on other things instead of the Lord, we are out of balance spiritually speaking.
In order to find balance in the Christian life, we must learn the secret of enjoying God’s presence as we serve Him. To delight oneself in the Lord means to enjoy who He is and His presence. It means relating all we do to Him because that’s what a relationship is. And all service without enjoying God’s presence will be draining and frustrating.
Learn to slow down, delight in God, and reflect on His character and attributes. Our first obligation in life is, as the Westminster Shorter Catechism says, “to glorify God and enjoy Him forever.” And it’s amazing how much easier the wheels of life and Christian service turn when we take time to enjoy our God.
Constant activity is not necessarily a sign of spirituality. It may even be a distraction from enjoying God. He’s looking for our hearts to delight in Him before and during our service for Him. Life is not merely about serving Jesus, it’s also about slowing down, sitting at His feet, and savouring Him.
