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January 9
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Delight in divine
service is a token of acceptance. Those who serve God with a sad countenance,
because they do what is unpleasant to them, are not serving Him at all;
they bring the form of homage, but the life is absent. Our God requires
no slaves to grace His throne; He is the Lord of the empire of love,
and would have His servants dressed in the livery of joy. The angels
of God serve Him with songs, not with groans; a murmur or a sigh would
be a mutiny in their ranks. That obedience which is not voluntary is
disobedience, for the Lord looketh at the heart, and if He seeth that
we serve Him from force, and not because we love Him, He will reject
our offering. Service coupled with cheerfulness is heart-service, and
therefore true. Take away joyful willingness from the Christian, and
you have removed the test of his sincerity. If a man be driven to battle,
he is no patriot; but he who marches into the fray with flashing eye
and beaming face, singing, "It is sweet for one's country to die,"
proves himself to be sincere in his patriotism. Cheerfulness is the
support of our strength; in the joy of the Lord are we strong. It acts
as the remover of difficulties. It is to our service what oil is to
the wheels of a railway carriage. Without oil the axle soon grows hot,
and accidents occur; and if there be not a holy cheerfulness to oil
our wheels, our spirits will be clogged with weariness. The man who
is cheerful in his service of God, proves that obedience is his element;
he can sing, January
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