Why do you fear or serve God? Do you serve Him for nothing? Service is an important aspect of a believing Christian’s walk with God. The scriptures teach us to serve God, but the question is, “what is the main motive behind the service?” The true answer to this question determines how God will respond to your service.
Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?” So Satan answered the Lord and said, “Does Job fear God for nothing? Have You not made a hedge around him, around his household, and around all that he has on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. But now, stretch out Your hand and touch all that he has, and he will surely curse You to Your face!” And the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your power; only do not lay a hand on his person.” – Job 1:8-12 (NKJV)
The challenge
There are great blessings attached to service unto God. For instance, Exodus 23:25-26 promise you provision, sickness-free life, fruitfulness and longevity when you serve God. However, many Christians have zeroed down to merely serving God for things. When they pray, teach or preach the word of God, praise and worship God, they are only concerned for what they will get at the end of it. It has become a show to God.
Unfortunately, when they don’t quickly get these things, they switch off, saying, “this thing doesn’t work”- referring to Christianity. They call the scriptures lies, words written just to deceive people. They turn around and tell people not to believe in that “Jesus Christ stuff”. Yet, they were the ones who got it all wrong from the beginning and fell into the devil’s deception.
Case Study
Let’s consider Job’s story. God’s testimony of him amazes me any time I read it. I strongly desire that one day the Lord will testify of me as He did Job.
In Job 1:6-12, when the sons of God gathered, the enemy also gathered. God asked where he was coming from. And he answered, “From going to and fro on the earth”. Then God asked him if he had considered His servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth; that he is a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and hates evil. The devil answered God that Job does not fear God for nothing, that God had given him all round protection and prosperity. He asked God to allow him to strike Job and He will discover that Job would curse God. And God allowed him but warned him not to touch Job.
The enemy went ahead and struck all that Job had: children, servants and animals. But Job still didn’t sin or charge God with wrong – Job 1: 13-22. He proved God’s testimony of him right! Then in Job 2:1-10, the enemy asked God to allow him to strike Job’s health, that he would surely curse God after that and God allowed him but warned him not to kill him. The devil struck Job’s health heavily to the point that his wife asked him to just curse God and die. But Job refused to do so. He maintained his integrity till God restored him and doubled all that he lost – Job 42:12-13
Discussion
Will you still be serving God if you lose everything, including your health? Certainly, Job didn’t serve God for things. He reverenced God for who He is, and cherished the relationship he had with God above things.
Let’s paint a picture here. Imagine your son or daughter relating with you only for what he or she can get from you. How do you feel? Certainly, you don’t feel good. But that is what many believing Christians do to God and they actually expect Him to be pleased with them!
God does not look at outward appearance like men do, but looks at the heart – 1 Samuel 16:7. The Lord is never fooled, He knows when you draw to Him with your mouth, and honour Him with your lips, yet your heart is far from Him – Matthew 15:8. God desires you to serve Him in spirit and in truth – John 4:24. You are to serve God with all your heart, full of real passion for God and with deep knowledge of God (the Truth)
It is only babies that keep crying for things. God wants you to grow to maturity, to graduate from drinking milk to eating solid food – Hebrews 5:12:14. You should grow to the point where you serve God not for what He will give you but because you love Him and desire to please Him greatly.
Paul, in Philippians 4: 11-12, said he knew how to be in want and also in abundance. He had learnt to be content in whatever state he found himself in. His service unto God was never tampered with whether he was in want or abundance.
Conclusion
Will you serve God come rain or shine? God desires to bless you immensely but He wants you to grow beyond serving Him just for these blessings. Serve God for nothing but for love, for this pleases God greatly. And I promise you that God, whom Job served, will not fail you.
Prayer: Lord help me to always serve you basically for love and not for what I can get from you in Jesus name
Jesus is Lord!
–
Ngozi Nwoke
Grace and peace of God be unto you.
Do share this post.
If you enjoyed this post make sure you enter your email address here for free email updates.
Pls leave your comment below, I would like to hear from you.
———————————————————————————
Image by Martin LaBar
Hello Ngozi,
Thank you for your good works. The Lord will uphold you to end in Jesus name, amen.
Glory to God!
Amen.
God bless you Anthony.