How do You Serve Him?

© 2019 by Tom Boynton (editing by Kathy Boynton)

God told His people, Israel, He would use Nebuchadrezzer to chastise them for rejecting His words.

“Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts; Because ye have not heard my words,  Behold, I will send and take all the families of the north, saith the LORD, and Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and will bring them against this land,…” (Jeremiah 25:8-9)

Amazingly, God calls Nebuchadrezzar His servant!  Nebuchadrezzar ruled during the days of God’s prophets:  Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel.  He was a prominent, prideful, pagan king who opposed God’s people.  Nebuchadrezzar cast Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, into the fiery furnace.  Their offence? They’d refused to worship the idolatrous image he’d set up because of their commitment to worship God, alone (see Daniel chapter 3).  Nevertheless, God calls Nebuchadrezzar His servant.

On another occasion God used even the Devil to fulfill His purposes.

“Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.” (Matthew 4:1)

God the Holy Spirit used the Devil’s evil hatred and pride to demonstrate Christ’s purity and authority to all people.

How is this possible?  God is absolutely sovereign in all things.  He has guaranteed that He will accomplish everything according to His eternal purpose to glorify Himself.  Paul the apostle told the Ephesian Christians that God works all things according to His plan.  He reminded them that their very inheritance, as believers in Christ, had been predestinated according to God’s will.

“In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:  That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.” (Ephesians 1:11-12)

When we preach Christ’s gospel, some will receive it and some won’t.  Both receive eternal consequences.  Both demonstrate God’s glory, righteousness, and preeminence.

“For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish:  To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life …” (2 Corinthians 2:15-16, see also Colossians 1:16-18).

Do you serve Him with joy or in rebellion?

.

You may leave comments for Tom & Kathy (website administrators) below.