Do You Look Like You Are Glad To Serve?

This devotional is adapted from a reading from Charles Spurgeon's "Morning and Evening":

 "Serve the LORD with gladness! Come into his presence with singing!" * 

Delight in divine service is a token of acceptance.  Those who serve God with a sad countenance, because they do what is unpleasant to them, are not serving Him at all.  They bring the form of devotion, but the life is absent.  Our God requires no slaves to grace His throne.  He is the Lord of the empire of love, and would have His servants dressed in the livery of joy.  The angels of God serve Him with songs, not with groans.  A murmur or a sigh would be a mutiny in their ranks.  That obedience which is not voluntary is disobedience, for the Lord looks at the heart, and if He sees that we serve Him from force, and not because we love Him, He will reject our offering.  Service coupled with cheerfulness is heart-service and therefore true.  Joyful willingness is the test of a Christian's sincerity.  If a man is dragged to battle then he is no patriot.  But the man who marches into the fray with flashing eye and beaming face, singing, "It is sweet to sacrifice for one's nation," proves himself to be sincere in his patriotism.  Cheerfulness is the support of our strength.  In the joy of the Lord we are strong.  It acts as the remover of difficulties.  It is to our service what oil is to the pistons of an engine.  Without oil the engine soon grows hot and accidents occur.  Similarly, if there isn't a holy cheerfulness to oil our pistons then our spirits will be clogged with weariness.  The man who is cheerful in his service of God proves that obedience is his element.  He can sing, "Make me walk in Your commands, because it is a delightful road".

Reader, let me ask you this:  Do you serve the Lord with gladness?  Many people in the world think that our religion is a slavery.  Are we showing them that it is a delight and a joy to us?  Let our gladness proclaim that we serve a good Master.

I found Spurgeon's observations to be convicting, because I have certainly been guilty of bringing cheerless service before the Lord in my life.  When we are struggling to serve and worship the Lord with joy, the antidote is to concentrate on the goodness of our God rather than the deadness of our feelings.  We do serve a good Master.  Take a little time to concentrate on His goodness and give that contemplation a chance to warm your heart and to quicken your joy in His service.

*Psalm 100.2 (esv)