We’re God’s Family, Not Merely Servants
We were both created and forgiven that we might “glorify God and enjoy Him forever.” Relationship with God, therefore, is prior to service for God. We do not serve that we may have a forgiven relationship with Him. Rather, we have a relationship with Him by grace, received through faith, that we might then serve Him. As Galatians 4:6 and Romans 8:15 declare, Christian living is a loving response of gratitude to Him whom we passionately call ‘Abba! Father!’ Every form of religious teaching that emphasizes serving over relationship is missing the point of why He created and redeemed us. “In love God predestined us to adoption as sons and daughters” (Ephesians 1:4-5). In the end, loving God and others is what really matters. Mere ‘serving’ need not reflect love and, hence, such unloving ‘service’ is not acceptable to the Lord (1 Corinthians 16:14, 22).
Worship changes us. It gets our focus off ourselves and prioritizes the Lord; it reminds us of our dependence on Him and love for Him; it places gratitude and optimism in the forefront of our minds; it highlights God’s amazing grace. We stand before the Glorious One, basking in and reflecting His splendor, and, so, are transformed (2 Cor 3:18). Then, as those who are now a little more like Him and who have waited in dependent expectancy on Him for our instructions for service, we are able to proceed in Spirit-directed, God-honoring service. We are His people and friends first, then we are His servants. What a great privilege to be His adopted son or daughter! How incredible that we are His friends!
Moral blindness reflects and further feeds our pride.