Grateful Servitude

 "Only fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart.  For consider what great things he has done for you."

1 Samuel 12:24

There is one amazing thing that propels us to serve the Lord and Samuel names this towards the end of his address to the people of Israel.  Samuel is getting ready to hand the reigns of the people over to kingship as they asked, and more specifically to King Saul.  Before he ends his rule as the last judge of Israel he address the people.  Towards the end of his address Samuel gives this charge, that is above, to them.  He tells them the reason and motivation for us serving the Lord, and this comes from a posture of gratitude.  He tells us to "consider what great things he has done for you".  When we do this we are creating an 'attitude of gratitude' that propels us to faithful service to God.  It is easily in our nature to become ungrateful and overlook all that the Lord has done in our lives.  In those times in our lives when we become overwhelmed, anxious, depressed, or stressed out it would be wise to make a gratitude list.  When we pray in the Spirit for God to open up our eyes for all that He has done for us then we can begin to have a posture of gratitude that leads to faithful servitude.  The Lord has given us the very breath that we breathe as we read this devotional, and has given us new mercies and grace which motivates us to serve Him.  When we can use the gratitude and grace the Lord has given us today, we can change our attitude from a "I have to attitude", to a "I get to attitude", and it is this grateful serving attitude that honors the Lord.  It is also this posture in serving the Lord through gratitude, that offers us the opportunity to serve him faithfully because of all that He has done for us!  Today, look around and make note of all that He has done in your life.  Perhaps make a gratitude list of all that you notice God has blessed you with today.  It is wise to start with the fact that you have breath in your lungs and new mercies that offer you a clean slate to serve Him faithfully today.  Pray and thank the Lord for all that He has done, is doing, and will do in your life.  Allow this posture of gratitude to motivate you to serve Him in all you think, do, and say today!  He promises to do great things in and through your life when you commit to serve Him faithfully with a heart full of gratitude!  Love you all!  Praying for you and yours!  Have a blessed day, it's your choice!