Today's devotion courtesy of Pastor Jerry Warren: Serve the Lord through love not fear
This daily devotional touched my hear. I hope it does the same for you.
Love vs Fear
Eph. 4:1 ___ I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,
At Paul’s conversion he asked two questions: “Who art thou, Lord? and “Lord, what would thou have me do? The first question was doctrinal and the nest was practical. It is not enough to just learn about God. This knowledge must be translated into every day life. Neither should we try to work to just live for God. We must know Him intimately before we can represent Him to a lost world.
Paul had been describing the glorious things that are ours in Christ in the first three chapters of this letter. At the end of chapter three, he prayed for a revelation of these truths to come to the Ephesians which would make them have all the fullness of God manifest in them. Now, because of all thegoodness of God, Paul is calling the Ephesians to a life totally committed to Christ.
Many people serve the Lord through the negative motivation of fear, but Paul used the positive motivation of love to get people committed to God. It's better to serve the Lord out of fear than not to serve the Lord at all. But, "fear hath torment" (1 Jn. 4:18). Those who do not move beyond fear into love as their motivation for serving the Lord will be tormented with the fear that they may not be doing enough.
Those who walk in love serve the Lord out of thankfulness for what God has already done. Those who serve out of fear are trying to get God's blessing or avert God's judgment. The motivation of love rests in what's already been done. The motivation of fear is predicated on the assumption that the verdict has yet to be decided. Love rests. Fear frets.
Thanks,
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