Serving God on His Terms

A.W. Tozer wrote in his book The Root of the Righteous:

          Many of us Christians have become extremely skillful in 
     arranging our lives so as to admit the truth of Christianity 
     without being embarrassed by its implications.
          So wide is the gulf that separates theory from practice in
     the church that an inquiring stranger who chances upon both
     would scarcely dream that there was any relation between them.

When we think about serving God our natural (sinful) tendency is to want to serve Him on our terms, not His.  During my first pastorate, fresh out of seminary, I was sitting in my office one afternoon when the phone rang.  The person calling cheerfully said, "Pastor, I'm driving by the church today at 4:30 is there anything I can help with?  Oh, by the way, I need to leave by 4:45"  While I don't believe it was an accurate representation of this individual's heart attitude, what I heard was, "I want to serve on my terms when it's convenient for me."

The Bible never promises us that serving God will be a life of "smelling roses and petting puppies."  In fact, it promises quite the opposite.  In Mark 13:13 Jesus promises His followers, "you will be hated by all for my name's sake."  Yet, countless buildings are filled on Sunday mornings with people who know the truth and say, "Lord, Lord," while their daily lives painfully reveal they do not really mean it (Matthew 7:23).  They only want to serve God on their terms.

Thankfully, we have a Savior, Jesus, who came to serve the Father no matter what the cost. (cf. Mark 10:45; Luke 22:42)  The writer of Hebrews admonishes us to look to Jesus, who endured the cross, as an example for our own service of God.  (Hebrews 12:1-4) 

May we look straight at the cross and gladly accept the inconvenience, pain and price we must pay to serve God on His terms!