stephen R Harrison

JOY 365: Day 30

Serve the Lord with gladness; come before Him with singing. – Psalm 100:2

I served at our church’s women’s ministry conference tonight. Typically, I serve by preaching when at church. I arrived early to shovel snow off the downstairs walk so those who could not take the stairs could enter the fellowship and food area. I helped empty the trash and even arranged flowers in vases for the tables. I set up the coffee and water station, stocked the bathroom paper products, and even plunged a toilet. I laughed, smiled, and was in a good mood the whole time (even when plunging a toilet). These small tasks brought me great joy because I knew it would serve ladies who would be attending and allow them to enjoy the conference. Helping in practical ways is probably my favorite way to worship through serving.

Psalm 100:2 says, “Serve the Lord with gladness”. To be honest, there have many times I’ve served with reluctance, inconvenience, and complaining. Those times never increased my joy. They never brought me joy. My horrible attitude kept it from being genuine service to the Lord. It wasn’t service or worship at all. We can do things for others or in the name of the Lord with a wrong heart and perspective. When we do, we shouldn’t call it serving because it diminishes actual serving. It reflects poorly on sincere service to the Lord. Serving God is a joy. It is worship. When we “work with all our heart for the Lord” (Colossians 3:23), we are “serving the Lord Jesus Christ” (24). When we don’t, we are working for the approval or pleasure of man, including ourselves. That reward is short-lived. Working for the Lord has an eternal inheritance from the Lord. 

How has serving the Lord brought you joy?