March 28

She Ministered unto Them

And he came and took her by the hand, and lifted her up; and immediately the fever left her, and she ministered unto them. — Mark 1:31

That is just what Jesus is doing all the time to people sick in body, to those sick in soul, and to those who are down in any way and unable to rise. He does not stand far off when He would help people and call them to come to Him, but He comes to them with a brother’s warm heart and ready hand. That is the way we should learn to help each other, by extending a strong, uplifting hand to those that are down. Many fall and perish who would be saved for life and glory if someone would come in Christ’s name and help them up.

The example of this woman must not be overlooked. Christ had given her back her life, and what should she now do with it but consecrate it to the service of Him who restored it to her? This she did, not in mere words of thankfulness, not in warm and tender emotions of praise only, but in service; she arose and ministered to her Healer and His friends. Her ministry, too, was of the most practical and helpful kind. She did not sigh for some opportunity to do a great service for Jesus; she simply took up the service that came first to her hand, and set about rendering the commonplace attentions of a housewifely entertainer.

There is a whole cluster of suggestions here. Every sick person who is restored, whether in an ordinary or extraordinary way, should hasten to consecrate to the service of God the life that is given back. Surely it was spared for a purpose, and we shall be disloyal to God if we do not thus devote it. A great many persons are always sighing for opportunities to minister to Christ, imagining some fine and splendid service which they would like to render. Meantime, they let slip past their hands the very things in which Christ wants them to serve Him. True ministry to Christ is doing first of all, and well, one’s daily duties.