A job description that includes extremely hard work, imprisonment, flogging, stoning, shipwreck, hunger, sleep deprivation and hypothermia (2 Corinthians 11:23-28) - would not attract many applicants. But Paul was called to that. His devotion to his work was no ascetic exercise in an attempt to 'purify the soul'. It was obedience to the call of Jesus Christ to preach the gospel (Colossians 1:28-29). The apostle had known the immense change that came to his own life, when he submitted to Jesus; and therefore he was willing to sacrifice everything in order that others could hear the gospel too (1 Corinthians 9:19-23).

Altruism is never a big enough motive to serve the Lord. When Paul received God's grace in Christ, (and chose to work with Him instead of fighting against the Lord), that grace became a motivator to serve his new Master. It was a powerful life-change, and one which was repeatedly proved as the apostle encountered one difficulty after another (2 Corinthians 2:9). Those trials are the test of servant-heartedness. And Paul passed with distinction. It is one thing to talk about the power of God, but it is only seen for real when you are willing to keep serving the truth in the face of severe opposition (2 Timothy 4:7-8).

Servanthood is the pattern for following Jesus. Some religious leaders and their flock want to be honoured and served, and that was the disciples' aspiration too. But Jesus said their attitude needed to be radically different. Jesus said, "You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." (Mark 10:42-45) Servanthood is not about achieving what we want but fulfilling what He commands (Luke 22:42).

But how easily the church can become self-centred and self-serving. Church can become a club or spiritual tourism; when witness is 'being nice', and ministry is confined to the times when it is convenient. Much talk about power and worship, but little evidence of endurance in difficulty. The power of God is not an exciting add-on for the good times but is essential together with guts and grace for every day, including the rough patches. Keeping a gospel look-out at all times will stretch us almost to breaking point in the storm ... but that is when the promised power of God wins through (Philippians 4:13).