Serve – Douleuo

For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God;
- 1 Thessalonians 1:9

Our final word is Douleuo, which conveys “the notion of total dependence and of obedience without any right of personal choice.”  Now, the Greek word Douleuo is related to the Greek word Doulos, which is often translated as slave or servant.  Well, the idea here is that “no man can serve two masters.”  This leads us naturally into the context of our passage.  Paul is commending the Thessalonians for their decision to turn from the master of idols and paganism to the master of the living and true God.  In other words, before we can properly serve or Douleuo God, we must turn from the idols of this world.  “Conversion from idols was the necessarily preliminary to a life of service to the living and true God.”  Unfortunately, we know that our decision to trust Christ as savior and turn from idols is an inward act of faith but the outworking of that inward decision is something that must be fleshed out on a daily basis.  In other words, we must forsake the idols of this world, rendering Christ the preeminence.  Ezekiel chapter fourteen speaks about the idols of the heart.  As worshippers of God, we must make sure that nothing steals away our devotion to God.  Not our job, our family, our spouse, ambition, present circumstances, or anything else should occupt a higher place in our hearts than the living and true God.  May we strive to worship one master, even Christ!

CONCLUSION

Every soul belongs to God and exists by His pleasure.  God being who and what He is, and we being who and what we are, the only thinkable relation between us is one of full Lordship on His part and complete submission on ours.  We owe Him every honor that is in our power to give Him.  Our everlasting grief lies in giving Him anything less.
– A.W. Tozer

Some may question the importance of worship.  Some are critical toward it.  They view it as some fad appropriated by the more charismatic or talented.  As we stated in the beginning our worship is our life, not our music.  At the same time, in the context of music the words we have studied reveal to us that music is a natural expression of a life of that pursues, worships, ministers to, serves, and sacrifices for God.  All of these aspects are the reasonable service of we, the creature, to Him, the Creator.  Amen.

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