DO YOU SERVE GOD WITH JOY?

“Because you did not serve the Lord your God with joy and gladness of heart, for the abundance of everything…” (Deuteronomy 28:47 NKJV).

The first fourteen verses of Deuteronomy chapter 28 are well known by many people because of the promises of God that are there. On the contrary, few people care to study the remaining fifty-four verses in the chapter because of the curses in those latter verses.

However, those verses full of curses are warnings for anyone who does not want the curses to be his/her portion. Conspicuously, the main reason for the curses in those verses is disobedience to God, but there are other reasons for these curses as Moses warned the people of Israel.

One of such reasons is not serving “God with joy and gladness of heart” for the abundance of His goodness.

If God can be good to us in many ways, then we have to appreciate Him by serving Him joyfully even if He does not do, or has not done, what we want Him to do for us.

The consequence of not serving Him with joy is servitude to our enemies. Instead of promotion, demotion would be the lot of anyone who refuses to serve God joyfully.

In other words, anyone who does not appreciate God may not enjoy more of the goodness of God, but will certainly be under the curse of God. The people of Israel that came out of Egypt are a good example of this.

They grumbled against God on many occasions, and all of them (except Caleb and Joshua) could not enter the Promised Land (see Numbers 14:26-35).

We just started the second half of the year 2020. Ponder about your life this year. In spite of the ravaging COVID-19 pandemic that has disrupted many things this year, are you appreciative of God?

Do you serve Him with joy, or you are full of grudges against Him because of what He has not done for you? Do not incur curses of God on yourself. Thank Him and serve Him with joy, and He will manifest Himself in your life.

“I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. FOR TO ME, TO LIVE IS CHRIST AND TO DIE IS GAIN” (Philippians 1:20-21 NIV).

Prayer Point: Pray for the grace to always serve God joyfully in spite of any situation you may find yourself.

Source: Bayo Afolaranmi (Pastor).