Benefit Fully From the Service Meetings
1 The heartfelt expression of every servant of God should be: “Instruct me, O Jehovah, about your way. I shall walk in your truth. Unify my heart to fear your name.” (Ps. 86:11) The Service Meeting provides specific instructions to help us accomplish Jehovah’s work of preaching the good news of his Kingdom. Do you really benefit from the Service Meeting by absorbing the counsel given?
BENEFITS OF GOOD PREPARATION
2 To benefit to the greatest extent from the instruction provided at the Service Meeting, advance preparation is required. Why? Thorough preparation conditions the mind and heart to receive instruction. By studying the material ahead of time, meditating on it, and analyzing the scriptures used, you will be in a better position to absorb and remember the spiritual food presented. Your own participation in making comments, sharing in demonstrations, or giving talks will be more meaningful. Your heart will be filled with satisfaction because you contributed your best.—Ex. 23:19a; Prov. 16:23.
3 When preparing, it is helpful for each member of the family to have a copy of the publications being used. Preparation is especially important for those assigned parts on the Service Meeting program. Assignments should be made well in advance to allow sufficient time for participants to prepare.
BENEFITS FROM PARTICIPATION AND APPLICATION
4 Have you noticed that participating in the meetings contributes greatly to your enjoyment of them? As The Watchtower of July 1, 1972, explained on page 411: “Real enjoyment comes when a person expresses his own faith in Jehovah among his Christian brothers. It is not a matter of feeling obligated to give a comment and then relaxing and leaving the rest of the meeting to others. . . . It is our love for Jehovah that fills us and overflows so that we want to bless Jehovah and to make expression of our love for him.”
5 We have an assignment from Jehovah to preach the good news. Lovingly he provides much instruction through the Service Meeting so that each one of us is in a position to give the best Kingdom witness possible. As the Grand Instructor, Jehovah expects results from the instruction he provides his people. (See Deuteronomy 17:10.) Practicing and applying what you learn will benefit you, and you will be able to say, “I have done just as you have commanded me.”—Ezek. 9:11.
6 You will also have the joy of saving yourself and those who listen to you. (1 Tim. 4:16) No doubt about it, the spiritual benefits from the Service Meeting are many. May you and your family be determined to take full advantage of them!