Sabbatical Day 10- benefactor or beneficiary

We often hear in our Christian circles a cry from the faithful that we just want to SERVE God. We have a longing in our heart to do the will of God and to see his kingdom become visible on this earth. I often wonder, what does it mean to really serve God? What does it look like? More importantly what does God mean when he wants us to serve him? What should that look like in light of Mark 10:45- 45

"For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom"

Or in Acts Acts 17:25

"25 And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else."

Hmmmmm. Strange verses. They seem to be taking the power to serve God right out of our hands. Making it impossible to be obedient correct?

Some perspective- there are two types of people in the world. There are benefactors, and there are beneficiaries. There are those who give, and there are those who receive.

Now, in this scenario where we boil everything down to the fact that there are only two types of people we recognize that God is the ultimate benefactor in this relationship. We are the beneficiaries. When we try to deviate from this reality and become the benefactor in our relationship with God, we dilute his power and make a statement with our actions that Almighty God, creator of the heavens and the earth somehow has needs that need to be met. This might be one of the highest forms of heresy. For God has no needs. He doesn't need you. He doesn't need me. But he chooses to use us.

So this puts us in quite a pickle! For, Paul himself all throughout the book of acts and the epistles calls himself a bondservant of Christ. So, there must be a way for us to serve God that glorifies him, and there must be another way which does not. I think the answer is found in. 1 Peter 4:11
"If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen."

All of our efforts, all of our strivings, all of our grand visions and dreams when it comes to serving God must be framed within the context of a realization. This Service that we so desperately want to be a part of our lives must be viewed within the framework or the benefactor/beneficiary relationship. God gives. He is the benefactor. We receive strength, wisdom, love, passion, and everything else from God. He is the beneficiary of this fuel needed to serve others. And by serving others with the strength that HE provides, HE gets the glory, not us.

In my own life, I screw this principle up almost daily, thinking that if I just work harder, give more, love more, serve more, God will somehow be relieved that I am finally serving him and taking
some things off his sovereign plate, making his job easier with my arrogant motive of meeting the needs of almighty God.

Ultimately there are two types of people in the world. There are benefactors and beneficiaries. Which one are you?