Summer Service Project - Day 1

The other day I was flipping through an old journal from college and was reminded of a time when I really struggled with what it means to follow Christ. Like many of you, I grew up in a Christian home. I don’t really remember what it’s like to not be saved. I remember sitting in Olympians doing what I was supposed to to earn greenbacks to get some candy at the end of the night. In Olympians, we had to recite some pledges, a verse and a song to get a devotional book. You could earn medals if you completed certain tasks like church attendance, christian service, and bringing your Bible, to name a few. Being spiritual was very much tied to the things I did.

When I got to youth group, things changed some. We didn’t get immediate rewards for all of our good behavior, but we were encouraged to read our Bibles and pray daily, to be pure, to reach out to others through serving.

When I got to Bible college, I was met with a new set of expectations and requirements for being spiritual. Going to chapel so many times a week, attending church regularly, being involved in ministry, all while attending Bible classes throughout the week.

At some point, I got overwhelmed with it all. I can’t live up to those expectations. As much as I try, I fail at reading my Bible daily. Sometimes I’m selfish and don’t always want to love and serve others. I watch tv shows that I probably shouldn’t. Even though I know God loves me, some days I feel unlovable. I drive too fast (almost) all the time. I can’t live up to the expectations that others have placed on me or that I have put on myself.

So what does all this have to do with you coming today to serve?

One of the things that I learned as I struggled and processed through all those feelings in college was that those things are things that I should do, not to be spiritual, but because I love God. If I love God, I want to get to know Him better and spend time in His Word and praying. I don’t do it because it’s on a list of recommendations for Christians.

In John 14:15, Jesus says “If you love me, keep my commandments.” And in Matthew 22:37-40, after being asked what the greatest commandment is, Jesus replies, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

Jesus boils all the commands in the Bible down to two: loving God and loving others. If you truly love God, you will want to keep his commands. They shouldn’t become a burden, an unattainable list like they did to me in college. In 1 John 5:3, it says his commands are not burdensome.


This summer as we make an effort to get together as a youth group to serve in our community, keep in mind that you should serve as a way to show God you love Him and to show others your love for God.

Reflection:

1. Why did you decide to come today? 
2. How is your relationship with Jesus? 
3. Pick three words to describe how you feel about serving others. 

This week: Take some time to read 1 John 2:3-6. What do those verses say about serving?


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This summer the youth group plans to do weekly service projects in lieu of a week-long missions trip. This is a devotional the teens were given after arriving to serve the first day.