pramsay posted on December 28, 2010 01:17
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BIBLE BITES
www.heaven4sure.com
How's the Smile on Your Face?
Very few have eyes special enough to see the spiritual condition of our heart. We can try to convince people that everything is perfectly okay, but they are rare eyes that can see the inner scene. Basically, all we have to go by is what we see outwardly and admittedly, sometimes that can be deceiving. We are offended when someone questions us based on what they see and yet we utilize similar sensing strategies when we look at others. If the boss uses flowery words to say how much he values you and yet he never gives you a wage increase - you say: "Talk is cheap - all talk; no action."
Outwardly, what are the signs of spiritual health in your life? Do people perceive that you are happy - a happy Christian?
"Serve the Lord with gladness:
come before His presence with singing."
Psalm 100:2
If you were employed in an ancient palace it was an absolute must for you to appear in the monarch's presence with a smiling face. If you were sweeping the palace court with a scowl, or delivering a document to the king with a sad countenance, or knocking down cobwebs between the palace pillars wearing a faint frown - you'd be skating on thin ice. The offense of serving the king with anything less than a happy spirit was punishable by DEATH. Three 'bad mood days' a month was not in the union contract. After all, it was bad advertising for a servant of the King to be moping around with a long, sad looking face. The King wanted happy and contented people working for him.
Nehemiah, the king's cupbearer, went to work one morning with a heavy burden for Jerusalem. He had a solid track record of happy service up to that point. But that day he looked sad. The king asked: "Why is your countenance sad, seeing you are not sick? This is nothing else but sorrow of heart." (Nehemiah 2:2) Nehemiah was terrified that the king had been looking at his face. Would he die? The king respected his godly life and excellent service. He knew there must be a very good reason for him to have a non-smiling face; normally he served with gladness.
If employers expect we'll serve them gladly - how much more should we serve the Lord with gladness and come before His presence with singing. We can get in a rut of being generally pessimistic and gloomy. We have every reason to smile, despite the burdens and tears of our life. If our way is dark just now, our future is still brighter than we could ever imagine.
Could it be that the lack of joy in my life is caused by the choices I am making as a Christian? If I am not a happy, joyful Christian, the problem is on my end. JOY is on the list of what the Holy Spirit produces in my life when He is having His way. (Galatians 5:22). A lack of joy indicates some blockage the Holy Spirit is encountering in my life. Can you think of any roadblocks the Holy Spirit is bumping into? Don't lose sight of who you are serving. The more you surrender the deeper your joy will be.
Walk carefully and closely with the Lord today,
Peter Ramsay
peter@heaven4sure.com