THE GLORIFIED STATE Devotion 12 of 25 It is to be understood that when "His servants shall serve Him," it will be without the encumbrances of life in this world. In this world, Paul served the Lord in prison, and John on the Isle of Patmos (2 Tim 1:16; Rev 1:9). Stephen served the Lord while religious men hurled stones at him, and the early church served Him when they were "scattered abroad" (Acts 7:58; 8:4). Epaphroditus served the Lord when he was sick, and Paul did so with a "thorn in the flesh" (Phil 2:27; 2 Cor 12:7). Abraham served the Lord while a stranger in the very land he was promised (Heb 11:9). Isaiah, at one time, served the Lord "naked and barefoot three years" (Isa 20:2). Yet all of them were prepared by that very service for the time to come, when "His servants shall serve Him," without any restriction, encumbrance, or inadequacy. – Tomorrow:
In this world, our service involves having a treasure in an earthen vessel (2 Cor 4:7). Because of this circumstance, and while we are in the process of serving God, we experience things that can, if not conquered by faith, become disconcerting, bringing us to a state of consternation. After stating that we hold "this treasure" in "earthen vessels," Paul elaborates on the consequences of that condition. "We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh" (2 Corinthians 4:11). Only a strong faith and an unwavering spirit can withstand such fierce assaults – and they all happen while we are in the process of serving our Lord! Peter and the Apostles were imprisoned while they were serving the Lord (Acts 5:18). Paul was stoned while He was serving Jesus (Acts 7:58) The Thessalonian brethren endured tribulations and persecutions while they were serving the Lord (2 Thess 1:4). Antipas was martyred while serving Christ (Acts 16:36-37). Throughout human history, those who have served the Lord did so in the midst of competing influences and opposition. From Moses, the servant of God, to John the beloved on the Isle of Patmos, this was the case – and it continues to be.
Our present bodies are an "earthly house," in which we "do groan, being burdened" (2 Cor 5:1,4). While we serve the Lord we experience "another law in our members, warring against the law of our mind" (Rom 7:23). Sometimes, we must confess with the ancients that we are "pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired of life" (2 Cor 1:8). Not only do we experience the wonderful response of heaven, we also endure the disheartening responses of earth. We serve the Lord in a dichotomy of experience. As it is written, "As unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and, behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed; As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things" (2 Cor 6:9-10).
But in the world to come, this will not be the case. We will happily serve the Lord without distraction. We will neither see nor experience anything that competes with our service, drains our strength, or causes us to be weighed down. No foreign thought will invade our minds. No enemy will be found in the land. As we serve Him night and day, we will not need to have a sword in our hand as well as a trowel, as those working with Nehemiah (Neh 4:18). No servant will need the presence of another servant to comfort him, like Paul was comforted by the coming of Titus (2 Cor 7:6). The hands will never "hang down," and the knees will never be "feeble" (Heb 12:12). In a sense far greater than Job could imagine, the "wicked will cease from troubling" (Job 3:17). In his affliction, Job associated such relief with the grave. Our text associates it with the glorified state. Job knew something of that state. He said, "And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me" (Job 19:27). However, a greater light has now arisen in Christ Jesus, and it has clarified the future state of the righteous. There is infinitely more than being delivered from a rotting body: "His servants shall serve Him." There is much more than the wicked ceasing from troubling: "His servants shall serve Him." There will be more than merely not dying: "His servants shall serve Him." When, according to Divine appointment and determination, the saints are glorified, there will be more than the cessation of sickness, sorrow, crying, and tears: "His servants shall serve Him."
I can scarcely imagine what it will be like to serve the Lord in this manner – without any distraction. With increasing and refreshing joy we will serve the Lord. We will do His bidding quickly, completely, and with thorough satisfaction: "His servants shall serve Him." There will be no deficiency in our service, and it will never come short of perfection: "His servants shall serve Him." This is a most joyful contemplation. All glory to God for telling us of this blessing!
We must never allow an institutional spirit and at-home-ness in this world cause us to view our present service as though it was the best, most consistent, or most pleasing to God. The treasure is in an earthen vessel, and that circumstance impacts upon our service. But all of that will come to a sudden and grinding halt when we are "glorified together" with Him (Rom 8:17).
PRAYER POINT: Father, in the name of Jesus, help me to think more of glory, and to do so with thoughts that have been given by the Holy Spirit, and expressed in Scripture.