Thought for June 6, 2024

•  1391: 5000 Jews massacred in Seville Spain
• 1716: French transport first African slaves to Louisiana
• 1816: 10 inches of snow in New England--year without summer following eruption of Mt. Tmbora
• 1844: YMCA formed in London
• 1862: Battle of Memphis
• 1912: Eruption of Novarupta in Alaska--largest volcanic eruption of the 20th century
• 1925: Walter Chrysler founds automobile company
• 1933: First drive-in movie
• 1944: Operation Overlord--D Day
• 1960: Roy Orbison releases "Only the Lonely"
• 1966: Merger of AFL and NFL announced
• 2002: Asteroid explodes over the Mediterranean--30 feet in diameter releasing more power than Nagasaki bomb
• Born: Nathan Hale, Robert Falcon Scott, Tommie Smith [Mexico City Olympics], Bjorn Borg
• Died: Robert Kennedy, Anne Bancroft, Hiram Bingham [discovered Machu Picchu]

Thought:

I am stuck on Psalm 100:2  this morning. Of course, this is a great psalm and we have several songs based on its text. But as I read this morning, my heart stopped at verse 2--"serve the Lord with gladness." "Gladness" is translated with these words--delight, exceeding joy, joy, mirth, pleasure, rejoicing.  I am serving in Vacation Bible School this week handing out snacks to the children. And it is easy to serve the Lord with gladness when the children smile, laugh, say thank you. 

Then I think about other times when I am serving the Lord and people don't smile, don't say thank you. Or I am serving someone I don't really like. Or I am serving at a time which is really not convenient. Or I am serving when I'd rather be watching a ball game or doing something else. Or I am serving the ungrateful. Or I am serving and people are complaining about the temperature, the location, the music, the sermon, the parking. And I am really not serving with gladness. 

Then I read the rest of the psalm--maybe like Paul Harvey and the rest of the story. I should be serving with gladness because:

• I am serving the Lord. [100:2] Yes, the people are part of my service, but my service is to the Lord. Whatever you do in word or deed do it as unto the Lord. So how the people react, what they say, is less important than what He says. If He smiles, it is worth it. 
• The Lord is God. [100:3] My service is to the God of the universe. The Creator of everything. What an honor, what a joy. He allows me to serve Him. Some earthly person of "importance" allows me to serve and I say that I am honored, it is my pleasure. The God of all has invited me to serve--now that is something to be glad about.
• The Lord is good. [100:5] When I am serving Him, I can be glad, I can rejoice because my service is for good. Sometimes I find myself serving an organization and then the organization does something that is not good. Or maybe I am serving or supporting an organization or cause and while there is good in it, there is also things that ar not good according to His teachings. But when I serve the Lord, I am always serving that which is good. 
• The Lord loves me with an everlasting love. [100:5] I can serve with gladness because He loves me and will always love me. I serve with joy because He gave Himself for me. 

Forgive me Lord when I do not serve with gladness and joy. You are worthy of my service with rejoicing. 

Blessings

Larry