Why Do I Serve The Lord?

  People serve the Lord for several different reasons.  The answer to the above question reveals much about our position before the Lord.  We need to ask ourselves the question, “Why do I serve the Lord?”  While there may be variations, there seems to three major answers to this question.

  Some Christians serve the Lord because it is a habit for them.  Worship services, Bible studies, and things of that nature are all that they have ever really known.  While this Christian sings and prays in services, it is likely that their heart is not really in it.  Essentially he is simply going through the motions.  This was one of the problems with the service the Pharisees offered the Lord.  Jesus said, “These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me” (Matt. 15:8).  It can be an easy thing for Christians to slip into this category, especially those who have served God for many years or were raised in a family who serves the Lord.  We must be sure that serving the Lord never becomes a matter of just something we have always done.

  The second person serves God because he is devoted to God’s word.  Let it be noted that this is a must for the Christian and commendable; however, the problem comes when someone’s drive for serving the Lord is purely academic.  This person really knows his Bible!  He has very insightful comments to make in Bible class and might even be an excellent teacher; however, his love and devotion does not extend past God’s word.  Instead of the Word bringing him into a relationship with the Lord, his relationship is solely with the Word.  This was a major problem with the people when Jesus came.  It was not that they did not know the law, “they knew it backwards and forwards.”  Their problem was that while they knew the law, they did not know God!  The church at Ephesus seemed to fit into this category.  They had “tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars” (Rev. 2:2).  They had the academic part down, but they were missing something - a deep rooted love for the Lord! Rev. 2:4 says, “Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love.”

  While the third person makes it a habit to serve the Lord and really loves and knows the Word, he serves the Lord because he has a deep love for the Lord and wants to do everything he can to please Him.  This person loves the Lord his God with all his heart, with all his soul, with all his strength, and with all his mind (Luke 10:27).  He feels and understands what it is really like to have a relationship with the Lord.  He talks with the Lord on a regular basis and seeks time to spend in His word.  It was this drive that Paul and Barnabas wanted to reinforce in the Christians in Antioch when they “encouraged them all with purpose of heart they should continue in the Lord” (Acts 11:23). 

  The way the three people go about worshipping & serving the Lord and their devotion throughout their lives is extremely different.  The first person will find it difficult to remain faithful to the Lord when trials and temptations arise.  Their love and commitment is empty because they are acting solely from habit.  The second person, because he really loves to study God’s word, might stick with serving the Lord his entire life, however, like with the first person, when times get hard he will find “cleaving to the Lord” difficult because he has never really established a relationship with Him.  His spiritual life might also feel quite empty.  It is the third person whose spiritual life finds fulfillment, who pleases the Lord, and who is able to remain faithful when times get hard.   He is likely to go beyond just the “surface requirements” that many Christians see as comprising their duties to God.  Let everyone “take careful heed to… love the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways, to keep His commandments, to hold fast to Him, and serve Him with all your heart and with all your soul” (Josh. 22:5). 

~ Aaron Beard