KEY VERSE:
“Worship the Lord with gladness.” Ps 100:2a
Isn’t it interesting that in many translations of the bible, this verse says “Serve the Lord with gladness”, so which is right? The truth is BOTH are right! Depending on the context, this word can be translated as worship or serve. This reflects the truth that true worship is about service - giving of ourselves. Although tomorrow we will turn our attention to singing, today’s verse is a good reminder that worship is about much more than song and music. In fact, everything we do should be an act of worship to God. Paul, in his letter to the church in Rome, puts it like this:
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Romans 12:1
Whether we are serving God in ministry; in raising our family; in sharing our faith; in the way we love and encourage others or going about our working life in a godly way, Psalm 100:1-2 tells us three things about serving God. We should:
- Serve the Lord with a worshipful heart. Even when we don’t think we are directly serving God or His church, Colossians 3:23 reminds us, “whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men”. Remember, everything we do is an act of worship!
- Serve the Lord with a glad heart. As Warren Wiersbe said, “Joyful shouts (v1) lead to joyful service (v2)”. Serving God begrudgingly is not worship. Serve Him with gladness
- Serve the Lord with a grateful heart. Remember this psalm is called the psalm of gratitude. When we serve God, it shouldn’t come out of a sense of obligation or trying to earn His favour. Rather, serving Him should be the overflow of a grateful heart. When we remember all God has done and are so thankful, we can’t wait to serve Him. When the apostle Paul spoke of his motivation to carry out his mission to reach the world for Jesus, he said that, “Christ’s love compels us” (2 Corinthians 5:14).
Let’s worship the Lord in the way we live, love, speak, behave and serve and let’s serve with gladness and gratitude!
ACTION STEPS
• Learn this verse and recite psalm 100 so far.
• Jot down your plans for today (or tomorrow if you’re doing this in the evening) and discuss with your spouse, family or a Christian friend how each part of your day can become an act of worship to the Lord. Maybe there are additional “acts of service” you could add into your day as you worship and serve the Lord with gladness