Judges 10:16
“And they put away the strange gods from among them, and served the LORD: and his soul was grieved for the misery of Israel.”
Israel had turned from God again. For whatever reason, they couldn’t get out of their system the attraction to the strange gods. They set God aside for the false god of Baal. They set God aside for the counterfeit god of Ashtaroth. The gods of Syria had a greater lure to them than the God Who delivered them from Egypt and brought them into the Promised Land.
This turning away from God caused judgment to fall. The Ammonites had come against Israel to take them in war. During the war they found themselves distressed, and they suddenly remembered the God Who delivered them. When they cried to God He heard it, but He would not deliver them. God simply told Israel that if the other gods were good enough then they needed to run to them.
What I love about this story is that Israel decided to get right with God and put away the strange gods. When they put the strange gods away, God still did not deliver them. Though God would not deliver Israel, they decided that they were going to serve God because it was right. In this instance they completely understood that you don’t serve God for the blessings, but you serve God because it is the right thing to do. Their decision to serve God eventually proved to God that they were serious about serving Him and it moved Him to deliver them from the oppression of the Ammonites.
Christians oftentimes only serve God because they enjoy the blessings. Many Christians have made the mistake of serving God when their finances were being blessed. They served God when trials were not a factor. They served God when everything was going right, but the second the blessings seemed to dry up you find them quitting on the LORD. These Christians don’t serve God because it’s right, but they serve God because they enjoy the blessings.
Friend, there are going to be times in the Christian life when serving God doesn’t seem to pay. There are going to be times when serving God will put you on the wrong side of the crowd. If you serve God because it makes you popular or because of the blessings, then you will find that your service to God will end when things turn against you.
You must come to the point where you serve God because it is right. That is the only decision that will produce a lasting service to God. This will keep you serving God when you bury a loved one. This will keep you serving God when your finances are taken. This will keep you serving God when those near you attack you. This will keep you serving God when everything in life seems to be against you.
What this world needs to see are Christians who serve God because it is right. This world has seen too much fickle Christianity. This world needs to see Christians who determine to serve God no matter the circumstances. That is the type of Christianity that turned a world upside down for Christ. That was the type of Christianity that convicted the hardened heart of Saul while he persecuted Christians. This is the type of Christianity that will influence your world for Christ.
I ask you, are you serving God because times are good, or are you serving God because it is right? I hope the latter will be your case. Let me encourage you to make a determination to serve God because it is right. That is the only decision that will keep you serving God no matter what comes your way.