LOL: Diakonos Living

 

 

 

Memory/Meditation Verse: Don’t neglect to do what is good and to share, for God is pleased with such sacrifices. ~ Hebrews 13:16 (HCSB)

It's time to close out 2012. It's time to look back and examine what God set my heart my to do - to "Live Out Loud", to examine what I learned and how I have practiced it. It is also the time to open my heart to God's purpose for my 2013. As I do this, seeking my greatest need spiritually and physically, a word jumped out to me during a quiet time: diakono's  (dee AH kah nahs).  It is a Greek word (διάκονος, οῦ, ὁ, ἡ) that frequently refers to a person who attends to others needs.

"The term diakonos, like many biblical words, has both a broad general meaning (servant) and a specific technical meaning (deacon). Most of the instances of diakonos in the New Testament have the broader sense. In other words, they are not referring to the specific office of deacon, but rather to the general role of helping or serving. " ~ Robert H. Thune, Deacons: A Theological Study

 

Diakonos living is to love out loud. To be Jesus to others. It is having the heart to do something radical for God.

 

My heart is not seeking the deacon approach of this word but rather the general role of helping and serving. My heart is seeking less of me and more of Him, more of what I can do for other for Him. To give out loud, to love out loud.

Last year I explored living out loud my faith. In this new year I will explore what it means to Love Out Loud (LOL) my faith, my Jesus.

As I look back on my almost 50 years of life, I often see the selfishness of my living. I yearn to change that. A new desire grows for servant-living. It will start in the home first and foremost,  and then should extend to my church family and to my work family. It should include the community I live in. It will require much of me I am sure but I have a new mission to explore-a mission of servanthood.

2013 word: Diakono's
2013 theme: Loving Out Loud (LOL)
Spiritual Goal: having the heart to do something radical for God
2013 Scripture: Don’t neglect to do what is good and to share, for God is pleased with such sacrifices. ~ Hebrews 13:16 (HCSB)

To live a diakonos life. Giving out loud. Loving out loud. Looking daily to do something radical for Christ. I'm excited about this new charge God has given me. If you are reading these words, I pray this journey will also lead you closer to the Master.

Diakono's living is the call on my life-the action of my living. As I said above, it will start in the home. So this blog will change it's focus. As a mother, my heart aches for our girls to live a life with a heart like ours that yearns for more and more of God. There are so many things that I feel I have failed in as a mother to them, especially spiritually. This nagging feeling has been with me every time I come here to post a blog...the feeling that I should turn these posts into letters for our girls. Reflections from my heart to them about the grace and love of God. Legacy letters. Spiritual nuggets of life lessons learned.

Here's to a happy productive New Year for our Lord in 2013!!

LOL~ Pamela