With gladness

Make a joyful shout to the LORD, all you lands! Serve the LORD with gladness; Come before His presence with singing. Know that the LORD, He is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. – Psalm 100.1-3

I have to admit something right up front here.

Are you ready?

Though I serve the Lord I am afraid that I do not always do it with gladness.

There you have it. I wish I was stronger and more faithful and always on top of the world, but there are time when I just am not glad about how things are going. Dare I say that if I get my eyes in the wrong place that I can even see serving the Lord as a drudgery?

That is a tragic admission. But I think is can happen to all of us. It happens when we forget who we are serving. It happens when we get focused on ourselves and our situations and circumstances.

There is really no excuse for that kind of behaviour. Sure, we may get tired and down and discouraged, but that is no reason for us to to serve with a gladless heart instead of with gladness.

When I think about what Christ went through for me my heart should be stirred with that gladness. He died for ME, for MY sins, and He took MY place on the cross. How dare I begrudge Him whatever He asks me to do! I am HIS for now and for all eternity.

Give me a day of gladness today, and tomorrow, and the next day, and…