“Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing.” (Psalm 100:2)
Do you serve with enthusiasm, is it your pleasure to do the will of God?
This does not mean to be employed by Him with a silly grin on your face or a bubbly attitude constantly, but with a devotion of the heart that comes from a depth of love that you hold for no other. It means that what you do for those you love here comes second to your desire to serve the Lord.
Do you find joy in congregating with other believers, do you find a peace that passes all understanding when you are in His presence, when you are serving, is there enthusiasm, or only the knowledge that you are fulfilling your obligation? “And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.” (Matt. 24:12)
Satan’s plan of attack in these days is the constant barrage of a possible adverse future, his main tool of choice, that which might arrive. Small tidbits of fear are a great weapon against joy, especially when they are far away, for most people act and react when the situation becomes adverse, but when it is far away, when there is nothing we can do about it on a personal level, it creates fear, fear is anxiety, and anxiety removes peace, if we let it.
Those who honor the Most High, those who live by His will for His glory do not fear, there is of course trepidation at times, but that is the flesh, not the mind that serves Christ. We serve the Lord with gladness no matter the possible consequences to ourselves, no matter the circumstances we find ourselves in, the character and integrity of a born-again believer is not modified by the current situation.
What is approaching cannot be stopped, and we should be glad in this, “And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.” (Romans 13:11)
I fear that many who stand behind the pulpit are not offering hope and gladness in these days, they are not speaking of the judgment of God upon the nations with anticipation or with joy. Sin is about to be judged, and we should rejoice. The message seems to be one of fear though, a continual barrage of “bad news,” with their monitors showing the woes of the world, with messages of doom and gloom, spreading more fear than gladness.
The end of the path of the man of God is not always covered in green grass, but with sharp boulders, the highest prize, Jesus Christ, requires the most effort.
We are blessed to be in these days, but I fear that many would rather not be here. The cry of “Jesus, come back soon!” reverberates across the land, not in joyful anticipation, but from personal fear, of a fear of a possible future that will cause them to suffer.
“Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.” (2 Tim. 3:12)
The question is, can you live with gladness in these days of that far away fear, can you rejoice that the end of the time of the gentiles are approaching, can you serve the Lord with gladness when the beginnings of sorrows arrive on your doorstep? “And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.” (Luke 21:28) “Wherefore comfort one another with these words.” (1 Thess. 4:18)
Are you? Or has the threat of that possible negative impact upon your person stolen away your gladness? I would suggest, and not just because of the days that we find ourselves in, but because we will all give an account to God, that you begin preparing yourself to meet the Lord. What you need to be able to see in yourself today is whether you will meet Him with gladness, or in fear. If you are afraid today, you will be afraid on that day, and there is no gladness in that thought.
