I've been thinking more about service since yesterday's post, and how when we truly are passionate about the Lord, we spend ourselves on Him in service - service to the church (His bride), service to the unbeliever, the poor, the needy. These are all great things, and things that we love to do, but do you ever get tired, like me?

I get concerned when I am tired of leading worship or going to church. This shouldn't be!! And then eventually I realize that I haven't spent enough time just worshipping Him, instead of always leading worship or helping others in whatever way I have been working. I really believe that He doesn't only want me to serve Him by serving His people, He really does want to be in an intimate relationship with me - just me and Him, often.

A good marriage isn't just about doing the work that your spouse would want done - that's a part of it, and shows love and commitment to the joy of that person. But it is also about spending time with that person. Quality time - time that deepens each person's knowledge of and love for the other.

That's time God wants to spend with us, where He will give to us, and we give to Him, and where the foundation of all the things we do to please Him and be obedient to Him will be built. Let's not forget the intimate quiet times with the Lord - I really believe they please Him as much as the work we do for Him - they are two halves of a whole relationship.

Now one of the Pharisees was requesting Him to dine with him, and He entered the Pharisee's house and reclined at the table. And there was a woman in the city who was a sinner; and when she learned that He was reclining at the table in the Pharisee's house, she brought an alabaster vial of perfume, and standing behind Him at His feet, weeping, she began to wet His feet with her tears, and kept wiping them with the hair of her head, and kissing His feet and anointing them with the perfume. Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet He would know who and what sort of person this woman is who is touching Him, that she is a sinner." .... Turning toward the woman, He said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has wet My feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You gave Me no kiss; but she, since the time I came in, has not ceased to kiss My feet. You did not anoint My head with oil, but she anointed My feet with perfume. For this reason I say to you, her sins, which are many, have been forgiven, for she loved much; but he who is forgiven little, loves little." Then He said to her, "Your sins have been forgiven." (Luke 7:36-39, 44-48)