Since we understand that the Lord has given us all something to do and that He has enabled us or, we might say, fitted us for service to Him, are we ready and willing to serve Him in the area or sphere that He has assigned? King David asked this question with regard to providing materials for the house of God, “Who then is willing to consecrate his service this day unto the Lord?” (1Ch 29:5).[1] Even though David was asking for materials, he spoke of service for the Lord. More than 450 years earlier, the Lord spoke to Moses concerning the materials for the Tabernacle. Those who were of a “willing heart” were encouraged to bring an offering to the Lord (Exo 35:5). The response in Moses’ day, and in David’s, was that “the children of Israel brought a willing offering unto the Lord, every man and woman, whose heart made them willing” (v29; 1Ch 29:6).
David challenged Solomon his son to serve the Lord with “a perfect heart and with a willing mind” (28:9). In the second epistle to the Corinthians, Paul sought to encourage the believers in their giving. He suggested that if there were first a “willing mind,” there would be a readiness to give to the Lord (8:12). Earlier in the same chapter, referring to the Christians of Macedonia, he said that “they were willing of themselves” (v3) and that they “first gave their own selves to the Lord” (v5).
The Lord is not so much looking for ability as He is for availability. The Lord provides the ability, but we must provide the availability. We might ask ourselves today whether or not we have a willing heart and a willing mind to serve the Lord.
One motive of our consecration and of our willingness to serve the Lord, in whatever capacity He has graciously enabled us, ought to be based on what He has done for us. Samuel exhorted the people of Israel to serve the Lord wholeheartedly: “Only fear the Lord, and serve him in truth with all your heart: for consider how great things he hath done for you” (1Sa 12:24).
Paul wrote to the believers in Corinth, “For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again” (2Co 5:14-15). The psalmist asked, “What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits toward me?” (116:12).
Our motive for serving the Lord should also be based on who He is. Paul reminded the believers in Colossae of a very important truth: “Ye serve the Lord Christ” (Col 3:24). The psalmist acknowledged, “For I know that the Lord is great, and that our Lord is above all gods” (135:5). In another psalm we read, “Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable” (145:3).
Daniel’s three friends, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, were so confident in the greatness of the God they served and were so faithful to Him that they refused to bow down before king Nebuchadnezzar’s golden image and were willing to be thrown into the fiery furnace (Dan 3:17-25). The prophet Jeremiah confessed, “Thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee” (32:17). We serve the living and true God (1Th 1:9). The woman in the house of Simon who brought an alabaster box of ointment anointed the feet of the Lord Jesus and worshipped Him for what He had done for her; her sins which were many were forgiven (Luk 7:36-50). Mary of Bethany anointed the feet of the Lord Jesus with the costly ointment of spikenard. She worshipped the Lord Jesus for who He was (Joh 12:3).
Another motive for consecration, or serving the Lord, has the aspect of reward for faithful service. One of the greatest areas of consecration to the Lord is in serving the Lord’s people. We hear from the lips of the King Himself, “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me” (Mat 25:40). The writer of the epistle to the Hebrews reminds us, “For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister” (Heb 6:10).
The apostle Paul anticipated receiving a reward from the Lord’s own hand: “Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing” (2Ti 4:8). In the book of Colossians, he reminds us that serving the Lord Christ shall merit reward in a coming day: “Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance” (Col 3:24).
Each one of us would love to hear the words of recognition and commendation from the Lord Himself, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord” (Mat 25:21). However, just seeing the Lord Jesus, the one who loved us and gave Himself for us, will be reward in itself. When King David returned from defeating those that rose up against him, Mephibosheth met him. Mephibosheth was not concerned about dividing the land that was given him by the king. He simply rejoiced that the king had returned. His response to the prospect of sharing the land with Ziba was, “Yea, let him take all, forasmuch as my lord the king is come again in peace unto his own house” (2Sa 19:30).
May we, as those who have consecrated their service to the Lord, be motivated by the anticipation of seeing Him as He is (1Jn 3:2). Like Job, may we look forward to that moment: “Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold” (Job 19:27).
[1] Bible quotations in this article are from the KJV.