Luke 1:74-80 - "That We Might Serve Him"

74 To grant us that we, Being delivered from the hand of our enemies, Might serve Him without fear, 75 In holiness and righteousness before Him all the days of our life. When Elizabeth gives birth to John, her husband Zacharias has his heart and mouth filled with praise and he gives us a prophecy about the future ministry of both the Messiah, Jesus, and his son John. But he also gives us an exhortation to serve the Lord in verses 74-75.  As we said yesterday, we are saved to serve. We have been freed from sin that we might become servants to God (Romans 6:18). It is good to be able to say, "Thank God, I am saved," but it is better to be able to say, "Thank God, I am the bondslave of Jesus Christ." Notice in these verse all the wonderful aspects of our service to the Lord.   We must never forget that we serve Him. We serve the Lord Jesus Christ! One is our Master, even Christ the Lord, and after we experience Him for our salvation, our first question should be, like Paul, “What will You have me to do” (Acts 9:6). And like Samuel, we should say, “Speak, Lord, for Your servant is listening” (1 Samuel 3:10). Yes, we serve Him! Jesus first, not a ministry at the church, not a cause, not the good principle, but the living Christ, our ever present gracious Lord, whose we are.   We can joyfully serve Him without fear. If we love the Lord with all our heart this will be the character of our service, for there is no fear in love; because perfect love casts out fear (1 John 4:18). Having received the Spirit of adoption we are saved from slavish fear and serve in the love of a son (Romans 8:15).   We must serve Him in holiness. As saved ones we are "called with a holy calling" (2 Timothy 1:9). Called into the holy priesthood, having been washed and clothed with holy robes that we might minister in holy things as we eat the holy meat of the Word of God. We must be clean who bear the vessels of the Lord (2 Timothy 2:19-22). “But as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct” (1 Peter 1:15).   We serve Him in righteousness. Our new man is created after God in righteousness and true holiness (Ephesians 4:24). So, the new man is expected to serve God in righteousness as well as in holiness. "In holiness" may refer to the nature of God within us. "In righteousness," may refer to the Word of God before us. His holy nature imparted to us gives us fitness for service. His Holy Word gives us righteous principles for guidance in service for Him.   We also serve before Him. Sweet is the service that is rendered in the consciousness of His presence and done as standing before Him. Elijah could speak of "the Lord God of Israel before whom I stand" (1 Kings 17:1). Abraham walked before God (Genesis 17:1; 48:15). Serving before Him is the remedy for the fear of man, and the secret of dealing with the disappointments and discouragements of ministry.   Finally, we should serve Him all the days of our life. There is no discharge papers given to us in this holy war. The Levite might retire after a limited number of years' service, but those delivered from sin and wrath by the agony and blood of God's beloved Son are to serve Him all the days of their life. Even in the days of our bodily infirmity and weakness, when we can do nothing but look unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2), may that look be the look of blessed submission, and holy trust in His strength and grace for the journey!    Yes, Lord, please give us grace and strength to serve You all the days of our lives!   God bless!