Heart Service

Psalm 50:1-7

A recent court case in our state received international attention.  It went on for several weeks, included much drama and concluded with a surprise ending.  The whole event played out like a Hollywood script…complete with “extras.”

Extras are those non-professional actors who appear in the background of scenes.  People walking on the sidewalk, the crowd in the stands at a game…these are extras.  Our recent court case had extras, too: the crowds that sat in the courtroom each day observing the trial.

People stood in line for hours hoping to get tickets.  If they got a ticket, then on their appointed day they were allowed to sit in the gallery to see and hear first-hand the proceedings.  They were the extras; eye-witnesses to the events in the courtroom.

The Bible makes clear that God is a judge.  He has a courtroom.  There is a case to be tried; the witness will testify and the extras will observe.  We see this several places in Scripture, one of them being Psalm 50.

God the Lord God speaks; He summons the earth from east to west…On high, He summons heaven and earth in order to judge His people…“Listen, My people, and I will speak; I will testify against you, Israel.” (vs. 1,4,7a)

God is the Judge.  He is the One who summons all to the courtroom.  Those called to come observe the proceedings are “heaven and earth.”  Creation will watch as God presents the case He has against Israel, His own people.

This scene is repeated by the prophet Isaiah:  Listen, heavens, and pay attention, earth, for the Lord has spoken: “I have raised children and brought them up, but they have rebelled against Me” (Isaiah 1:2).

Think about this for a moment.  Creation – the heavens and the earth – will see and hear God’s evidence against His people.  This is only fair since it was man’s actions that subjected creation to the suffering of sin.  The Bible makes it clear that creation is waiting to be released from the burden of sin, just as we are.

Often we think of God’s judgment being that final time the lost will stand before Him, be condemned and sent into eternal Hell.  As we picture the scene, if we picture ourselves in it at all, it is as observers.  We, His children, perhaps will watch as judgment is announced then we will get to enter Heaven.  The Bible paints a different picture.

All of us who are believers – God’s children – also will be judged.  We are not the extras watching, we are on trial.  Our case will not teeter on guilt or innocence (in Christ we are made righteous: completely innocent of sin).  Rather, the question for us will be: were we faithful and obedient as His children?

Did we serve Him well?  Were we faithful and obedient to all He called us to do, even if at times it did not make sense?  Did we accomplish His will?  Did we walk faithfully?  Many more questions could be asked, but they seem to all boil down to one thing.

Was my heart in it?  Did I serve the Lord – did I walk in faithfulness and obedience – out of duty, or out of love?

Great question that (pardon the pun) gets right to the heart of the matter.  Do we serve Him because He loves us and we love Him?  Or only out of a sense of “I have to,” not an “I want to?”

God makes it clear in the Psalm and Isaiah passages that it is worship and service from our hearts that He appreciates and responds to favorably.  Walking faithfully and obediently each day because we love Him and desire to please and serve Him, results in blessings here and rewards hereafter.  Empty worship and service – that in which our hearts are not involved – are drudgery to Him and He says, “I’m sick of it…STOP!”

When creation gathers to watch you and me stand before our Judge, what will the heavens and earth learn about our hearts?  Will it be said of you: “good and faithful servant?”  Or will they learn that you were one who never had your heart in it?