Serving at the Masters Pleasure.

Ever since I was young, I have been amazed by how Presidential appointees would
often say that they serve at the Presidents pleasure. I saw it as an act of humility
and reverence towards the President. It was a recognition that since they were
appointed into power by the President, their performance and existence were
dependent on nothing else but his pleasure.
Matt. 6:24
Then said Jesus unto His disciples, If anyman will come after me, let him deny
himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
When I surrendered my life to the Lord, I came across this wonderful verse and
realized that serving the Lord was no different. I recognized that I was serving at
the Masters Pleasure, and so does every Christian.
All Christians are appointed, specifically ordained, to serve. Some people think that
the call is only for those who commit their lives to full-time service. However, we
must consider that the Apostle Paul, when talking to the church in Rome, besought
everyone (not only those who would be preachers, or pastors, or teachers) to be
living sacrifices as our reasonable service to God.
Romans 12:1
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present
your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your
reasonable service.
But what does it really mean to serve at Gods pleasure?
There is an explicit command from the Lord on how those who would like to follow
Him should do so. According to Jesus, if we want to be His disciple we must:
First, Let him deny himself This means Self-Denial.
1 Cor. 9:27
But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any
means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.
God wants us to suppress our own pleasure and seek His. We do not serve
according to our own terms as a servant considers himself to be a property of his
master. He knows no rights except the grace extended to him by his lord. In the
same manner, we have been bought by the precious blood of Jesus Christ. God
gave His only begotten Son to die on the Cross to be a ransom for our sins. The
message is clear - we have been bought with a price. We must realize that because
of this, we do not have any other option but to seek His pleasure.

Let us try asking ourselves these questions: Whenever we serve God, who is
pleased? In our daily lives, who is magnified? Who is made happy? The Bible says
that in whatever we do we should do all for the glory of God. Self-denial means
denying the joy of your mortal flesh, and seeking things which please Him.
This was very clear in the statement of the Apostle Paul:
Acts 20:24
But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself,
so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have
received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.
He considered his life not dear unto himself so that he may find joy. Most people
may find this statement ironic as it is contrary to how the world pictures joy. We
have been taught by the world to go after our dreams and give in to the desires of
our heart. This, however, is not the will of God. God wants us to find true joy, the
kind that lasts for eternity the joy that is in Jesus Christ.
Second, God wants us to be responsible. According to the verse, He wants us to
Take up his cross... The Cross speaks of responsibility. Ever since Christ was born,
He knew very well that He would one day die on the Cross for the sins of men. He
was not distracted, nor was He moved as He focused on doing His Fathers business:
Luke 2:49
And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must
be about my Father's business?
The Church has been ordained to bear fruit by abiding in Jesus Christ.
John 15:16
Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye
should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that
whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.
And as members of the Ekklesia, each of us has been called by God and appointed
into a specific area of service where we may effective and fruitful.
Moreover, God himself gave each and every one gifts which we should use for His
glory.
Romans 12:6-8
Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether
prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; Or ministry,
let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; Or he that

exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that

ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.
Clearly then, there is no reason for any Christian to be irresponsible. Not only is it a
privilege to be called, ordained and appointed for service. It is also important to
reckon that God has also given us the necessary equipping in order for us to
perform our responsibilities. But we should learn to obey Him.
Third, another challenge for us is to Follow me. This means that God want us to
conform to Him, to follow Him closely. Just like appointed cabinet members are
extensions of the President appointing them, we should realize that as Christians,
we are alter egos of Christ. What we do, what we say and how we think should be
the same as that of our Master. Members of the cabinet are appointed by the
President in trust and confidence. He carefully selects and puts into power those
who share the same objectives as he does. In like manner, as appointed and
ordained by God according to His sovereign will, He expects us, Christians, to totally
conform to Christ and abide in His word. Hence the following verses are explicit:
Romans 8:29
For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the
image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
2 Cor. 3:18
But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are
changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the
Lord.
Furthermore, no amount of goodwill will justify disobedience. No matter how noble
our intentions are, if it is against the will of God, it does not please Him. This was
clear in the case of King Saul when God showed his displeasure on his intention to
have an acceptable sacrifice, because he disobeyed an explicit command:
1 Sam. 15:22
And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and
sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than
sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.
May we all have a true appreciation of the calling we have. We have been chosen,
among so many, to be a part of those who may serve Him. May the guidelines and
standards given by God be effectively seen in us as we truly serve God at His
pleasure.