When the Queen of Sheba came to visit King Solomon it was not just his riches and wisdom that she observed with amazement. It was his servants. She noted, “Happy are thy men, happy are these thy servants, which stand continually before thee, and that hear thy wisdom” (1 Kings 10:8). The joyful servants were a testimony to the king. When the world looks at the servants of God they should see the happiest people on earth.

And this joy is not just for others to witness; it is for God to see. He rejoices when our greatest joy is serving Him. The God who knows everything is concerned not only with what we do but with why we do it. Remember that though people look on the outward appearance the Lord still looks on the heart (1 Samuel 16:7)! Appearances are not everything with Him.

It is not enough to say that you are serving the Lord. How are you serving Him?

Pastor Sexton used to teach us that obedience is not simply doing God’s will, it is delighting in doing God’s will. Joy is to mark the heart attitude of the true servant of Christ. When we complain, grumble, and bemoan all that we have to do we are taking away from the One we have the privilege of doing those things for. He is worthy of the greatest sacrifice…and He is worthy of our glad service.

In preparation for a message I am to deliver tonight I have been meditating on the truth, “not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver” (2 Corinthians 9:7). It is one thing to give and quite another to give cheerfully! Don’t just serve the Lord – serve Him cheerfully!

This morning I read devotionally in Deuteronomy. Tucked away between the blessings of obedience and the curses of disobedience was this powerful verse: “Because thou servedst not the LORD thy God with joyfulness, and with gladness of heart, for the abundance of all things” (Deuteronomy 28:47). They ignored God’s goodness and missed God’s best. Don’t just serve the Lord – serve Him joyfully!

The Hebrew hymnbook commands us to “Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing” (Psalm 100:2). He deserves singing servants! Don’t just serve the Lord – serve Him gladly!

Few servants of Christ have faced as much opposition, persecution, and adversity as the Apostle Paul. His body was covered with scars. His life a constant battle. He describes his experience in 2 Corinthians 6:4-10…

…in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, in stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings; by pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned, by the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, by honour and dishonour, by evil report and good report: as deceivers, and yet true; as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and, behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed; as sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.

Whatever your circumstance, wherever your assignment, whoever you may have to deal with, keep a rejoicing heart. Don’t just serve the Lord – serve the Lord cheerfully, joyfully, gladly!

This joy – His joy – is not a plastic smile or an ignorance of difficulties. It is a deep rooted realization that our Master is wonderful and we are privileged to be in His service. We are not serving Him to be blessed; we are blessed just to be His servants. Perhaps if more people saw happy servants of our King they would desire to be part of His kingdom too.

“Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice” (Philippians 4:4).

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