Serve The Lord In Truth Daily

-June 23, 2023-

Good morning, happy Friday,

“Only fear the Lord, and serve Him in truth with all your heart; for consider what great things He has done for you.”

(1 Samuel 12:24).

The people of Israel asked Samuel to anoint a king over them like all the other nations. The problem was that they weren’t like the other nations. The Lord God was their King and they were His people. They craved an earthly ruler who would fight their battles and lead them forward. Samuel was very upset with them but the Lord told him in 1 Samuel 8:7, “…Heed the voice of the people in all they say to you; for have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them.”

God gave them their desire and provided Saul as their first king. They wouldn’t listen to Samuel nor to God. Samuel warned them what it would be like to have a king, but still they were determined to have one. Samuel tells them three things to do in order to succeed individually and collectively: fear the Lord, serve Him in truth with all their heart, and consider what great things God has done for them. There are no shortcuts to spiritual growth and maturity in Christ.

• Fear the Lord – Fearing the Lord is giving God His rightful place of honor. It is having a healthy reverence and respect for Him, His laws, principles, promises, and standards. Israel was God’s holy, chosen people, His own special treasure. We must have the right attitude toward the Lord always. 1 Chronicles 16:30 says, “Tremble before Him, all the earth. The world also is firmly established. It shall not be moved.”

• Serve the Lord in truth with all your heart – When we serve it must be in truth, that is, according to the Word of God, in will of God, by the ways of God. Serving God is a privilege and blessing. Joshua said at the end of Joshua 24:15, “…but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” The Lord is our King. We serve Him in all we do and say, each and every day.

• Consider what great things He has done for you – The word consider is a very important one. It is defined as, “thinking carefully about (something), typically before making a decision.” As believers who serve the Lord, we must think of and remember all that the Lord has done for us. The Psalmist wrote, “The Lord has done great things for us, and we are glad” (Psalm 126:3). The more thankful we are, the more we will serve the Lord from a pure heart.

Let us then fear the Lord, serve Him in truth with all our hearts, and consider the great things He has done for us. He alone is worthy of our praise and worship. He has given us all things, and equipped us and trained us in His service. All the glory goes to Him.

Have a blessed day serving the Lord. Stay safe and healthy.

Dean