I WANT, GOD WANTS

By Dags Miguel

It's been a rollercoaster ride so far for me this year... as with my whole life.

Seeing myself now, I can't believe I used to live a double life; a typical Christian kid in church and the exact opposite in school. If the Hoekmans, my fourth grade Sunday school teachers, had not shared the Gospel to me, I would be nowhere. But now, I'm just really honored to be here, serving the Lord.

God started me up in His service as a volunteer DVBS teacher, back in 2000. Seeing kids of my age teaching about the Word inspired me to do the same. God eventually made me the first point person of the Missions Team and had me involved with the Youth Choir. But I decided to focus on the Worship Team, as a drummer, song leader, core leader, and song writer too. I'm also one of the Y-Group leaders now and a staff member in our yearly youth camps.

That double life I used to live? God changed all that as I went through serving Him. I started to realize that being a servant of God meant I had to give up my whole life, not just part of it, to God. Serving God isn't just mere talent display, but it was really about worshipping Him using the gifts and talents He gave.

I used to think that serving was really about the church being able to help a person develop his interests or talents, but it was way more than that. As I went through serving the Lord, I started to yearn for God more. I saw my Kuyas and Ates in church living a Godly life, and passionate about Him. I wanted to be like them; I wanted what they had, I wanted more of Jesus. He has never disappointed me.

We all have our roles to fill in the church; we can do something. And God asks us to do that something. Whether it's singing, or dancing, or handling powerpoint presentations. Whatever it is, we can use it to serve God. God is not "uncool," narrow-minded and selective in what pleases Him, because what pleases God is a sincere heart of worship. God wants to see us praise Him in our hearts using our talents. One can offer anything to God, as long as his/her heart is right with Him.

My faith in God has enabled me to know Him more, and now through the mentoring of Kuya Api, among others, God continues to steadily strengthen me in service to Him, teaching me to pray and read my Bible, and to meditate on it. Serving God is difficult, if you have no one to guide you, you don't know who you're serving, or how to serve Him. It is difficult, but experiencing God's love is so worth the difficulty in His service.

Being an ambassador for Christ is actually being a clear reflection of Jesus in this world, being a model of Jesus' teachings, and ideals. I know God wants that of me, of all who claim to be Christians. Jesus did not come into the world to be served, but to serve. God wants to see us serve Him, like Jesus did. Certainly.

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interview editied together by Aldrin.

Do you want what God wants?  Are you commited to Christ?  Share ways you've been living your love for Christ below in the comments.