Loving Service

Theo-and-His-Master

Loving Service

(Picture Credits at end of post)

 “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. (John 14:15 – NASB)

I read of a man working in the forest who took his dog with him. Coming to a clearing he put his lunch pail down and commanded the dog to stay and watch the pail. So saying he went further into the forest to do his work.

While the man was away a forest fire swept over that region, right where the dog was. In perfect obedience to his master’s command, the dog stayed where he was. He loved his master and therefore obeyed him, even at the cost of his own life.

The dog’s obedience was not out of duty – it was out of love. The dog loved his master, and it was love that caused the obedience. Love should always be the fountain from which service to our Lord flows. It may be our duty to do certain things for God, but the moment we perform that duty out of love for Him, it changes from a duty into a delight.

If our service to God feels like drudgery in any way, perhaps it is time to re-examine our motivation for that service. Is it out of love for God, or is it out of mere duty.

Prophetic of Jesus Christ, Psalm 40 declares:

Then I said, “Behold, I come;

In the scroll of the book it is written of me.

I delight to do Your will, O my God;

Your Law is within my heart.” (Psalm 40:7-8 – NASB)

Delight should always be a word synonymous with any service we perform for our Lord. The absence of delight always indicates the absence of love.

In His letter to the church in Ephesus Jesus commended them for all their wonderful deeds of service. Then He said: But I have this against you, that you have left your first love. (Revelation 2:4 – NASB)

We have great cause to love Him:

We love him, because he first loved us. (1 John 4:19 – KJV)

You loved me first, my God

And my love came far behind;

Before I saw the love You bore me,

Love within me could not be found.

But Thy love created love for Thee –

In me. – Christopher Shennan

Check out my books for sale at My website: http://www.christophershennan.ca
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CNShennan
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChristopherShennanAuthor

<a href=”” title=””> <abbr title=””> <acronym title=””> <b> <blockquote cite=””> <cite> <code> <del datetime=””> <em> <i> <q cite=””> <strike> <strong>

Leave a comment