By Melanie Mar Chow

As a campus minister, I spend time a lot of time in my car. I love to be on the open road, which takes me to the places where I can serve college students. Later, the drive home affords downtime to reflect upon what I experienced in my service and to ponder biblical truths God would have for me. Some questions I pondered recently during this time was, If Jesus is the Savior, why does He allow me and others to serve Him? Could he not just have people read the Bible, realize what is needed, and follow after Him?

On my recent drive to central California, I once again realized that if I didn’t have Spotify there are only language channels and Christian country music…this is what one must resort to when the drive involves 80+ degree heat and the cell phone overheats and cannot cool down.  Instead of becoming disgruntled, I decided to ask God to lead me to what He wanted me to hear. I prayed a quick prayer to get past the Christian country genre and instead listen to the next song’s lyrics. The next thing I knew I was listening to the following words:

“This world can be so full of heartache, the pain, it causes cuts like a knife, but I serve a Savior, it’s what I was made for, His grace and love, I don’t deserve. I will be faithful, humble and grateful, my life is greater ‘cause I serve a Savior.”

I pulled over to find out more about this song, and found that it was written by Josh Turner, who wanted to write modern-day hymns that invited people to learn about Jesus.  In line with his lyrics, I also agree that it is one thing to hear about Jesus and ask Him to be our Savior, but it doesn’t stop there. Amidst the challenges life brings, we are to serve Jesus by getting close to God to understand His heart for what happens around us. He engages us to trust Him day in and day out until we’re able to spend eternity with Him after our earthly lives are done. Most of us know this, but aside from this, we must realize that now that we are in a relationship with God and we know where eternity will be, there are others who don’t know.  So I serve Jesus, so others can be reminded to find Him and follow Him.  But I also know the promises of John 12:26:

“If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there my servant also will be. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him” (NIV).

What a wonderful call this passage reminds us about.  The Bible reminds us that if we have received the salvation God promises, we then share the love of Christ to others. Once a year, I get to spend time with college students teaching about Christian community building.  This is one way I serve my Savior.  I practice I Peter 4:8-10:

“Above all, keep loving one another deeply, since love covers a multitude of sins.  Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace” (NIV).

I take time to make sure my Christian students know God’s love — that they are loved, in tangible ways.  One gift I employ is that I can offer prayer and ask God to lead me to encourage others. This is how I practice hospitality. 

Sometimes, it’s hard to remind people that God is good.  But I need to use my gifts to help others. Or I can rely on other musicians and lyricist to use their gifts and say it in a way that speaks to people’s hearts.  For John Turner, and even Amy Grant, their words pierce our hearts and minds and remind us what we are supposed to be about.  Amy wrote and sings this reminder of why she serves a Savior.

O soul are you weary and troubled?
No light in the darkness you see?
There’s a light for a look at the Savior
And life more abundant and free
His word shall not fail you, He promised
Believe Him, and all will be well
Then go to a world that is dying His perfect Salvation to tell

This is why we serve our Savior, so that we can tell of His perfect Salvation and encourage others to hold on to Jesus despite what goes on in our lives. Then we all can look forward to being with Him for eternity.  But until we get there, when we are looking at hard, challenging things, we simply need to return to God and He will respond. He will guide us or use others to guide us with their gifts to direct us to the One who saved us. That’s why I continue to serve others to find my Savior. 

Rev. Melanie Mar Chow serves God through Asian American Christian Fellowship, the campus ministry division of the Japanese Evangelical Missionary Society (JEMS). She has been an ordained American Baptist minister since 2004. A Pacific Northwest native, she currently lives with her husband and daughter in Southern California.