serve

You can't serve from a distance. You have to be near.

To serve is to follow. You can't serve from a distance. You have to be near. (John 12:26)

Jesus did not say, to serve Me you have to accomplish a certain number of things. Jesus did not say, here is your to-do list.

He said, "If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also." (John 12:26)

Serving is about following. Closely.

And yes, following Him does imply action... Footsteps, at the least. And doing the things He does. But not for the sake of doing them. For the sake of being near to Him. Following close.

"You shall follow the LORD your God and fear Him; and you shall keep His commandments, listen to His voice, serve Him, and cling to Him." (Deuteronomy 13:4)

So yes, it does play out in what we do... But even what we do, should all be summed up in relationship, in love (Matthew 22:7-40). In being near. In being in awe of Who He is and revering Him. In listening to Him. In clinging to Him. To stick to Him. To adhere. Talk about following close!

It's not as if God needs us to do anything for Him. But He wants us near. To serve Him. To wait on Him in service. To wait on Him in patience.

To wait on Him.

In adoration. In worship. Not running ahead in striving. Not lagging behind in fear.

But to be near.