Welcome to another day the Lord has made that we should rejoice and be glad in. (Psalms 118:24)

Today let’s be inspired to serve the Lord with gladness.

Today’s scripture, Psalm 100:2 (KJV) says…
[2] Serve the LORD with gladness: Come before his presence with singing.

Consider…
I must confess, today’s verse was the first scripture that came to mind when the Holy Spirit gave us the serving theme this week. I also confess that I was eager to write today’s post.

Part of my excitement to write is because it brings me great joy to hear and share what the Holy Spirit teaches me about God’s grace and love experienced, expected, and to be extended.

As I wrote that It occurred to me that the Lord wants us to serve with…
The GRACE and
LOVE we’ve
EXPERIENCED from Him
by EXTENDING it to others

I encourage you to join God’s GLEE club with me! 😄

In addition to serving God with GLEE, the Holy Spirit brought back to my remembrance enjoyable times of serving with the Spirit of David Young Adult choir back in the day. Times like…

• Ministering at a women’s prison, where we encouraged the ladies that there is no condemnation in Jesus Christ and that He offers freedom from the penalty and power of sin.
• Or singing songs like Joe Pace’s ‘I Was Glad/Let Us Go Into The House‘ which just got us hyped to be in Sunday morning service.

I also remember enjoying a couple more recent singing serving opportunities, courtesy of my sister-in-Christ Tambria and in collaboration with my dear brother-in-Christ Antonio. Two moments that fondly replay in my mind are…

• A special ensemble with me, Tony, our brother Michael and some “sangin” sisters that ministered Anthony Brown’s song, “Bless The Lord”. The funny thing is I enjoyed rehearsing it more than actually ministering it.
• Most recent was ministering with my band of brothers, Men In Worship, at our sleeping brother’s (1 Thessalonians 4:13-16) homegoing celebration.

So what was it that made me so glad to serve God through song in a few moments versus other moments that felt like burdens? I mean God didn’t change and His worthiness of praise was not altered by my situations and circumstances. So what was it?

I think my answer is found in another song I love, by Walter Hawkins, which says…

What is this
That I feel deep inside
That keeps setting my soul afire
Whatever it is
Whatever it is
Whatever it is
It won’t let me
Hold my peace

What is this
That makes people say I’m mad and strange
What is this
That makes me want to run on in Jesus’ name
Whatever it is
Whatever it is
Whatever it is
It won’t let me
Hold my peace

It makes me love all my enemies
And it makes me love my friends
And it won’t let me be ashamed
To tell the world that I’ve been born again

What makes me enjoy serving is the spiritual connection I have with God in the songs being sung and the people I am singing them with. When it’s natural, it’s honest and it’s fun, I enjoy it. Don’t get me wrong, we work hard, we just have fun doing it. The Holy Spirit has shown me that when serving becomes chore-like, there’s more sadness than gladness.

This same truth applies to writing ‘Daily Blessings’. Don’t get me wrong, it’s always a privilege and honor to be used by God. However, that doesn’t mean I always keep the same glad energy in serving daily. However, this reveals a key about serving that I have learned in my life of ministry, which is that serving is not about me.

Jesus taught it this way in Mark 10:45 (NLT)…
[45] For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

The Lord has shown me through the years that He wants me to use the life He has given me to serve others for Him. God is the Owner and Chef of unfailing love and unmerited favor (grace), and He wants me to serve what He offers to others He seats at my table, regardless of how it makes me feel.

Still, what about this gladness versus sadness attitude of serving? The Holy Spirit showed me that my impetus was wrong. You see I based my gladness on the people I served or who served with me rather than the God I was serving. When I focus on the audience of One, I find my soul get’s happy just thinking about getting into His presence.

No wonder the Psalmist said in Psalms 122:1 (NLT)…
[1] I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord.”

And it’s easy to testify with Psalms 84:10 (NIV)…
[10] Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked.

Writing today’s post has convicted me and made me rethink what should make me glad about serving God. Perhaps, Rev. Charles Nicks offers the right perspective of serving God with gladness, when he sings…

I’m glad to be in the service
I’m glad to be in the service
one more time.
He didn’t didn’t have to let me live. Didn’t have to let me live.
I’m glad to be in the service one more time.

I/we should be glad to serve God because we get to, not because we have to.

You can’t help but be glad when you serve God with an attitude of gratitude!

Today’s Song is…
Glad To Be In The Service

Blessings 4HG (1 Corinthians 10:31)