God’s Best Kept Secret Series introducing Beatrice Byemanzi

 At His Feet By Beatrice Byemanzi

“I am a wife and mom”. I am a lawyer” I am a writer”…The words we use to describe ourselves are usually about the role we play in society, not really about ourselves: Us. WHO WE ARE, beyond the roles and responsibilities…

You see, little girls are taught to nurture from the day they can hold a doll. We play mommy, and somehow before we know it, our value is pegged to what we can do for others.

We are celebrated for our upright behavior, good grades, acceptable manners…the things we do.

These are great things to celebrate. But if our identity is attached mostly to what we can do, then we are in trouble, because the things we can do are both temporary and limited.

Unfortunately, we carry this attitude into our relationship with our Father – God. We start to measure ourselves by what we can do FOR Him; how many religious meetings we attend, how much scripture we can quote, as opposed to what He has done for us.

I truly believe that the most important role of a child of God is to receive His love.

We are not able to give what we have not received. If we want to be givers of LOVE, we must receive love from Love Himself constantly. And that requires a complete change of mentality.

One of my favorite scriptures about what God really values in our relationship with Him is the story in Luke 10:38-41 about Mary, Martha and Jesus.

Martha and Mary are sisters, and are friends of Jesus. Martha invites Jesus over to her home, and she lives with her sister Mary. When Jesus gets there, Mary sits at His feet to hear His words, and Martha, according to the Bible is “distracted with much serving”.

Martha asks Jesus “…do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me.”

Jesus’ answer in verse 41 is “And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. 42 But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.”

That’s it. Never replace relationship with service

God calls us first to have a relationship with Him. That’s the one thing that cannot be taken away from us. And He says it is the one thing that is needed.

He also refers to our need to serve as a distraction. Serving God is great, and we should do it. But it should never become the definition of our relationship with Him. Service should be a result of relationship with the Father.

The world (and the church at times) will celebrate our service to God more than our relationship with Him, but we must remember that Jesus said “one thing is needed”- relationship. That is the fuel for service.

God is interested in you. Not what you can give Him.

Our labor for God can be taken away. But our relationship cannot. However if all we know is service, once it goes, we are left bitter, empty and alone.

Choose that good part that will NOT be taken away from you.

How do you define yourself; is it first as a child of God or a servant of God?

What if everything you do for God was taken away? Would you still be ok? What truly defines you?

You are an heir. A daughter of the King. Don’t compete to be named a servant.

Beatrice has been married for 7 years,  she has two girls, ages five and two. She pastors with her husband at one of the locations within Worship Harvest Ministries in Uganda. Her passion is adding value to people, mostly through communication: speaking and writing.

You can follow her on:

Facebook Page – Beatrice Byemanzi – Bee3

Twitter – @Bee3Byemanzi

Blog – bee3blog.wordpress.com