Serving God with Enthusiasm and Boldness

Each morning when I arrive at work, I try to spend my first five minutes or so reading a short devotional from a copy of “The Upper Room” and praying. This morning, one thing stuck out that I knew I didn’t want to forget so I have decided to post it here so that it will not only remind me, but may encourage anyone who reads this post, as well. The thing that struck me was actually the following one-sentence prayer: “Dear Lord, help us to serve you with enthusiasm and boldness. Amen.” It seems simple enough, but it’s funny how God uses the simple things to get his message across to us (i.e. salvation for all of mankind sent to us in the form of a baby). As I read it I thought, “Why do I so often not serve God with enthusiasm and boldness?” I am a Christian, which means, among many other things, that I am loved without measure by the one and only entity in both the natural and supernatural world that is powerful above all else! If that’s not something to spark enthusiasm then nothing will! I also thought, “Why am I so timid to serve God?” Actually, the answer to that one is easy…fear of rejection, unacceptance, etc. The list goes on. I shouldn’t be the least bit timid, though, b/c, as I mentioned earlier, God is all-powerful and I am on his “team”. Therefore, I have direct access to an infinite amount of power and might that will be freely distributed to me if I am in line with God’s will! The only thing that keeps me from that power is the strength, or lack thereof, of my own faith. I’m not saying that I have instantly turned into one of those enthusiastic praise-and-worship leaders or that I am another Billy Graham who will start preaching with boldness to the masses, but it is refreshing, encouraging, and motivating to be reminded of where exactly I stand as a Christian in the world and who is standing there with me. May God help each of us to serve him with enthusiasm and boldness!!!