Serve!

Serve!

‭‭Psalm‬ ‭100:2‬ ‭KJV‬‬

Serve the LORD with gladness: Come before his presence with singing.

There are quite a number of available definitions of the word 'serve', but one quite interesting one is this one: "Middle English: from Old French servir, from Latin servire, from servus ‘slave". Does that sound odd or out of place in this free economy that we have come to see the Christian faith as? We feel we can come in when we like and go out when we like, because there really is no one to crack the whip and make us fall in line. We do things when and the way we please, while forgetting that the Christian faith is actually a call to bonded service, which as the definition above puts it, is like a slave. By its very strict definition, a slave has no control over his time, resources or ability. Everything is under the control, influence and direction of the One who owns the slave. The slave only rests when the master says so, and must rise at the command of the master. 

If indeed I have been called to serve, how do I see my commission and call? Do I even know the terms and demands of this service? If I know the One who calls me to serve, I will do it with joy. In fact, a personal knowledge of and encounter with God is a prerequisite for service. How can I acceptably serve a God I do not submit to or acknowledge as Lord and Saviour? How do I submit and give my best to a God whose authority I do not recognize? Slavery does not have a positive connotation and you would not expect a slave to serve with anything resembling joy, but with a God who is the essence, personification and definition of love, this is the one and only time serving as a slave can actually be done with joy. The verse above encourages me to serve the Lord with gladness. I have to know who it is that calls me to serve, so I can do so with the right heart, attitude and application. 

I also note that I am directed to come before His presence with singing. The first part that asks me to come before his presence is key to the second part. If I claim to serve, how do I determine if my service is acceptable if I do not check in frequently with the One I claim to serve? Service as a slave is at the command of the owner. If I am God's servant, He must be able to lead, guide and driect me when and how He chooses. By experience and frequent encounters, I come to know this Lord as one who deserves all the praise and thanksgiving that I can give. This is a service that I do not need to be compelled to give; I do it with joy and gladness. I know who God is, and I know the benefits and blessings that come from Him, so I do all I am asked to do with the right heart. Where do you stand? What decisions do you also need to make about the quality of your service to God? He owes no man and He will definitely repay faithful service. God's time of favour is here.