Psalm 100:2 “Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing.”
Right off, this psalm gives us what we are to do: “Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing.” No matter what your official capacity in your church or company, you are to serve. Bus drivers, construction workers, and even preachers are to serve! However, serving is the last thing that comes naturally to us. We would rather be served than serve; but the Bible tells us to serve.
Who are we to serve? “Serve the LORD. . . .” Whomever else we may serve, we are to “serve the LORD.” At the Ranch, the largest group of campers we work with is young people; and I suppose there is no better group to serve than young people because they cannot pay you back! Oftentimes, serving juniors, teenagers, or deaf young people will not produce even a “thank you” or an acknowledgement of your sacrifice. If you are going to serve, a good test is to serve people who can’t repay you or pad your résumé!
I recently thought about how often our service to Christ is self-serving. That is not right, but it certainly is the nature of the case. Instead of simply serving, we serve to pander to our ego or to make ourselves look good to other people. But Psalm 100 reminds us to “serve the LORD.”
How are we to serve the Lord? “Serve the LORD with gladness. . . .” How do you know if you are serving with gladness? Well, a good place to start is the end of verse 2: ” . . . come before his presence with singing.” One indication is a “joyful noise” that the psalm starts with in verse 1!
Why are we to serve the Lord with gladness and come before His presence with singing? Verse 3 tells us, “Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.” He is the LORD (the eternally, self-existent Jehovah God)-that is a pretty good reason! Another reason is that He made us. Wouldn’t it be a rotten deal if God made us, and then we went and did our own thing? He made us by design and for a purpose. I think He would be pleased if we simply did what Psalm 100:2 says!
Today, you can live in light of the god you’ve created; or you can live in light of the God who created you. Don’t “create” God after a fashion based on your personality, background, or desires. Live in light of who God is, not what you wish Him to be. When you simply serve God-with gladness-you will have much to be thankful for.
“Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.” Psalm 100:4-5
Prayer Requests:
1. Ranch evangelists preaching today and tonight in Santa Maria, CA and Springfield, TN
2. Bill Rice Ranch Couples’ Conference this weekend in Wesley Chapel, FL