The Service of the King

"Serve the Lord with fear and rejoice with trembling." (Psalm 2:11-12).

This is far from the casual Christianity of many church-goers. Where is the awe? Have we so domesticated God that serving his mission is no longer a compelling responsibility? How has the service of the King of the universe, who holds our very lives in his hands, become subject to the spirit of American volunteerism: "I'll do it if I want to--if it pleases me to do it."

I love that statement, "rejoice with trembling." It totally debunks the controversy about whether worship should be celebratory and lively or reverent and subdued. In Scripture, those responses are never seen as mutually exclusive. God is so awesome that he inspires all out celebration for who he is and what he has done (or is doing, or will do) that brings us to our feet to clap our hands in joy. And then he also confronts us in ways that quiet us and send us to our knees in confession and surrender.

This exhortation from Scripture is tells me that if I really know God, he will unleash in me both an unbridled joy coupled with a profound awe. I know I will stand accountable to the King for the way I have approached his service and his worship. And I don't ever want to hear him say, "Chris, you did what you did half-heartedly."