Above all, fear the LORD and worship Him faithfully with all your heart; consider the great things He has done for you. However, if you continue to do evil, both you and your king will be swept away.     1 Samuel 12:24-25 HCSB

This Scripture passage comes from Samuel’s final speech. The people of Israel were demanding a king. They wanted to be just like everyone else around them. God had served as their leader or their king all these years and Samuel was very upset that they were now demanding a king be appointed as ruler over them.

God had told Samuel that He was going to give them what they wanted. Now, let me stop here and say when God gives us what we want it’s not always a good thing. Sometimes we want things that are no good for us. If we act like little children, however, and rebel and whine and complain sometimes He will literally just let us have it.

Samuel ends his speech by telling them to fear the LORD and worship Him or some versions say serve Him with all their hearts.

Going out to eat is not cheap these days. We pay to be served a meal. In the food service industry, a good waitress should be appreciated. Often times their salary is far below the minimum wage because it is expected that they will make much more in tips.

So, I ask today, do you tip for good service? Do you show appreciation when a waitress is attentive to your needs, when she is pleasant and checks to be sure all is well? Would you still tip if she messed up your order, brought you cold food, didn’t refill your drinks or maybe just went and sat down and didn’t serve you at all?

I find it really interesting that as Christians we expect God to tip us well. We often times give lousy service to our Lord and hope that He will reward whatever tiny little thing we do for him.

I can recall a time in my life when I would go to church a couple hours in a month’s time and figured God should reward me for my effort. I wasn’t involved in the church. I didn’t serve the Lord in any way. I just showed up for Sunday morning service a couple times a month and figured I was good to go.

But when my husband and I got together, he wanted to try Sunday School. We did and we liked it. Then he wanted to go on Sunday nights, so we did. Then on Wednesday nights when we weren’t working, he wanted to go then as well. So, we did. Before you know it, we were going to workdays, teaching classes and he was going on mission trips. We were witnessing to his friends and inviting them to church.

We were serving the Lord with all our hearts. God had done so much for us, and we were showing Him our appreciation by serving Him. I’d like to tell you He gave us all we asked for during this time, but He didn’t. I’ve learned when we ask for something and God doesn’t give it to us it’s because He has something better in mind. He knows our future and what is best for us.

I have tried to learn not to grumble like the Israelites, but trust in God to give me what is best for me. I don’t want Him to just give what I ask for like he did with the whole demanding a king issue.

We shouldn’t serve God to get tipped or get what we want, we should serve God because we love Him. If you really get to know Him through prayer and Bible study, you can’t help but love Him more and more. The more you grow to love Him the more you will want to serve Him.

I spent so many years serving myself and making my obligatory appearance at a church service now and then. I’m ashamed of the years that I didn’t serve God, but I’m doing my best to make up for it now. From now until He calls me home to live eternally with Him, I hope that I am able to serve Him.

My prayer for you today is that you discover the peace and joy that comes from being in a loving relationship with your Lord and Savior. My prayer is that you serve Him with all your heart, you will be so glad you did.

Have a great day!