Psalm 100: verse 2
Psalm 100:2 Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing.
How do we serve the LORD with gladness? Colossians 3:23 makes it clear that whatever we do, we do it for the LORD. We are serving the LORD in everything and not just in religious activities and ministries. Therefore, since everything is ultimately in service to the LORD, we should do it with gladness. Be cheerful and merry as you go about your life and duties. Imagine being cheerful and glad as you mop a floor or do hard labor under the hot sun. The opposite of happy and cheerful would be unhappy and sour. How many people with infirmities would be elated to be healthy enough to mop a floor or do hard labor in the hot sun? All tasks done well with gladness and cheer glorify God. It is all in the attitude and the attitude we should have is one of gladness as we serve the LORD in all that we do. This joyful and glad attitude will enable us to come before his presence with singing. God’s people should be so full of happiness and joy in the House of the LORD that their hearts are literally singing.
Once upon a time, a little girl attended a wedding held in a gazebo on the property of a friend of her father. She asked the man if she could be married there when she grew up and got married. He told her that he would do even better and build her a chapel in which to be married . True to his word, the photo above is the chapel that was built for her wedding.
Praise God that his marvelous grace enables us to serve him with gladness and come before his presence with singing.
10 comments:
This Chapel is the Jordan Chapel and is located near Vicksburg, Mississippi on the property of an artist. It was a treat for my wife, sister, and me to visit and see this man's chapel and his artistic and scenic touch.
The Chapel is complete with stained glass windows, doors, and other materials that were purchased from old abandoned churches and antique shops.
Great post, sir. Thanks for reminding us of the fact that joy and gladness should be in the hearts of those mercifully and graciously saved.
Thanks Jazzy.
I needed this line of yours, "Praise God that his marvelous grace enables us to serve him with gladness."
Thanks!
It is so pleasant to find little chapels like this to visit. My own church is quite utilitarian in structure. But I don't have a problem with that, since we are a church planting church, and our design is to send out rather than build up.
I memorized this Psalm a few months ago. It would be good to meditate upon it this weekend. Thanks for bringing it up.
That sounded wrong coming out. Yes, we are about building up the saints... just frugal when it comes to furniture.
Wonderful Psalm. And you are so right. The Body of christ should be glad, and joyful in all we do for Him, because he died for us when we were yet sinners and rebels.
Our joy should be the greatest, because of His great love for us.
Jazz,
Wonderful post! No one knows pure joy like a child of God does...
But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you. For surely, O LORD, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield. -- Ps. 5:11-12.
Octavius Winslow said it so clearly..
The religion of Christ is the religion of JOY. Christ came to take away our sins, to roll off our curse, to unbind our chains, to open our prisonhouse, to cancel our debt; in a word, to give us the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness. Is not this joy? Where can we find a joy so real, so deep, so pure, so lasting? There is every element of joy - deep, ecstatic, satisfying, sanctifying joy - in the gospel of Christ. The believer in Jesus is essentially a happy man. The child of God is, from necessity, a joyful man. His sins are forgiven, his soul is justified, his person is adopted, his trials are blessings, his conflicts are victories, his death is immortality, his future is a heaven of inconceivable, unthought-of, untold, and endless blessedness. With such a God, such a Saviour, and such a hope, is he not, ought he not, to be a joyful man?
Thanks everyone. As always each comment adds to this post. In each case mentioned God is glorified and we the redeemed are blessed.
wayne
I just read this today. Wayne, this is a beautiful reminder of the God we serve, how he amply and beautifully provides for us - as His own bride. And how we, in making use of what He has given us (although we did not deserve it), we can glorify and enjoy Him forever.
This chapel and the story behind it is a beautiful picture of our wonderful Father and His love for us. We can enter His gates with thanksgiving and praise.
Susan,
It is a comfort to meditate on this psalm as well as the 23rd.
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