“That we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies, might serve him without fear.” —Luke 1:74 ESV
More than any other time of year, Christmas inspires an increase in acts of service and generosity, not only among Christians but for everyone. The church, in fact, is often outdone by unbelievers in showing sacrificial kindness to others.
This wouldn’t be the case, however, if we took to heart the lessons to be learned from Zechariah’s song in Luke 1. Here are three:
- We are saved to serve. God saves us for a purpose. He saves us to serve Him.
- Service is worship; worship is service. We worship God by serving Him; we exist to serve Him worshipfully.
- There is no fear in love. Truly God is a God of immense, indescribable power. But His salvation means we now stand “holy and blameless” in His presence (Eph. 1:4).
The same gospel that changed the condition of our hearts is intended also to change the movements of our hands and feet. Feel free to serve and worship, having been freed to worship and serve.
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The First Songs of Christmas: A 31-Day Advent Devotional: Meditations on Luke 1 & 2 ©2018 Revived Hearts Foundation
Scripture taken from The ESV
Make it Personal
What are some practical implications of seeing worship and service as synonymous? How could it impact your Christmas season?