Elisabeth Elliott was the wife of Jim Elliott a missionary who, in 1956, was murdered by a tribe in Ecuador, South America. Later she would return to Ecuador, along with her 3 year old daughter, to continue the work started by her late husband. As a result, many members of that tribe came to know Christ as their Lord and Savior through the work of the Holy Spirit.

Service comes in many forms, and opportunities are presented to us on a daily, even hourly, basis. Not all of us are called to be missionaries in the way that Elisabeth was, but there are numerous ways to serve Him, in our church, in our families, in our community and in the broader world. Some of these may seem small at the time, but the Lord will certainly bless those efforts if they are done faithfully in His name.

You may not be called to serve in the foreign mission field as the Elliots were. But perhaps you love to sing joyfully to the Lord. You may feel lead to help with infant care or teach young children in a Sunday School. Perhaps you enjoy cooking and could help with Wednesday suppers. And if you are not led to any of these, don’t underestimate how a friendly smile or warm handshake may be just the thing that makes a visitor or newcomer to our church feel welcomed and at home. Each of these acts of service is vital to the mission in which God has called us to faithfully serve.