Ministry? To Whom?

Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.” Genesis 1:26

This is one of the more controversial scriptures often debated. What does the writer mean by “us” and “our”? Is God referring to His high counsel? But that would mean that they had a hand in Adam’s creation. Most scholars don’t agree with that interpretation. The most agreed interpretation is that it is the God-Head in His multiple person (Father / Jesus (prior to earthly birth) / Holy Spirit. So what is the ‘need’ for God to create humankind? Didn’t God already have heaven filled with all sorts of prior creation of angels, and other types of species through the eons of time? Could humankind be a closer representation of His likeness than the angel species? That is the question. Suffice to say God LIKES to create beings of ALL types. God has a ‘need’ even though He is complete in His omni-powers and abilities. What would be God’s need? Fullness of relationship. Certainly God had within Himself (3 in1 remember?), but ‘They’ all agreed to “make man” in their “image”. This includes the woman. And Adam was given the opportunity to realize that he ‘needs’ a type of deep relationship as well. And Eve was presented to Adam.

So we find that relationship is HIGH on God’s priorities and heart. I now turn to the practice of ‘ministering to the Lord’ established through Moses by the direction of God. The Levite tribe ‘ministered to the Lord’ first in the tabernacle and then the temple. I think people automatically assume that the ‘ministry’ was for the people yet it was “to the Lord”. Some might say it was ‘for’ the people and in many ways that is correct. But what about the heart of God and His desire for relationship? Does He desire our hearts in ministry to Him? Do we desire the love and attention from our spouses, family, and friends? Can we exist without it? Yes — but it is a very lonely proposition and existence.

I guess what I’m trying to express is my thought that God wants us to minister to …Him. And that it should be our ‘first’ ministry. In secret. Alone with only Him. In full honesty and gratefulness. In humility and confession. Exposing the deepest parts of our hearts and soul to Him in full transparency. We often see the “ministry” as to others — ie. The Body of Christ and the non-family of God. In fact there is VERY little ministry now dedicated just to Him, it seems that practice has faded away. But God has always had those whom He has separated (sanctified) for this purpose. Except now they are not known because they minister to Him in secret and don’t talk about it with others. Actually these types are sorely grieved over what the Sunday service worship has become… because 99.999% of it is not pointed at God solely but FOR the people.

Have you heard the Holy Spirit calling you away to be alone with Him to minister to the Father’s heart in prayer? That is becoming more and more rare these days. Ministry is now a ‘business’. It has to do with ‘butts in the seats’ and tithes and offerings (so that everyone in the ministry can be employed and housed in magnificent buildings and offices). But the real ‘holy ones’, His beloved, go into their tiny closets to pray, fellowship, and worship with and to God .. alone and in secret. These types never make a ‘display’ in the congregation of the people, they reserve their devotion to their ‘secret’ times with Him.

Here’s my suggestion: Find a time to be alone with Him everyday and truly express your heart to Him. Tell Him of your gratefulness. Tell Him how much you love Him. Thank Him for all He has given you. Learn to ‘minster to the Lord’ .. alone and in secret. 

But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. Matthew 6:6