We think of God as a King, and rightly so. We learn from David that
The Lord has established His throne in heaven,
And His kingdom rules over all. (Psalm 103:19)
But do we even consider that the Almighty Creator also stoops to serve his creatures? Yes, he does. And he fulfills this role in the work
of Providence. Providence is God’s work of preserving and governing all his creatures and all their actions. God not only brought the world into existence, he continues to sustain, preserve and care for all he has made. Whether they are plants, asteroids, or humans, he continues to maintain them.
In God’s service to us, many attributes come into play. These include Love, Wisdom, and Power. But the quality which seems to come into focus in his providential care for his creatures is the attribute of Goodness. And according to an Louis Berkhof,
Goodness is that perfection of God which prompts him to deal bountifully and kindly with all his creatures.
David celebrates this goodness in Psalm 145:9
The Lord is good to all,
And His tender mercies are over all His works.
Again in Psalm 104:14,15:
He causes the grass to grow for the cattle,
And vegetation for the service of man,
That he may bring forth food from the earth,
And wine that makes glad the heart of man,
Oil to make his face shine,
And bread which strengthens man’s heart.
Jesus spoke of this quality in God during his Great Sermon:
That you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. (Matt.5:45)
And Paul testified to it before the people of Lystra:
Nevertheless He did not leave Himself without witness, in that He did good, gave us rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness.(Acts 14:17)
Gladness! That’s what true service does. It brings gladness to the hearts of those being served. This is what God does for his creation (Psalm 103:1-5), and this is what he expects us to do for others.
But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil.(Luke 6:35)
Dayo Adewoye 