Begin this time by reading Hebrews 13:15-16.
When the music fades
All is stripped away
And I simply come
The English word “worship” comes from worth ship, or ascribing worth to something or someone. One way we do this is through what Paul refers to in Hebrews 13:15 as a “sacrifice of praise”. However, that is not the only way we worship. What else is there “when the music fades”? We may engage in musical praise a couple times a week for a total of probably less than an hour, but what is left for the rest of our week? How do we worship then? And we are so used to “worshiping” with others, that we must ask ourselves, how do we worship when it’s just us? When we “simply come”. Like Mary sitting at the feet of Jesus while Martha was distracted with her preparations (Luke 10:38-42).
Longing just to bring
Something that’s of worth
That will bless Your heart
Worship involves sacrifice, as we see in Hebrews 13. “Something that’s of worth”. Read Mark 12:41-44 to see what Jesus says about sacrifice in giving. We measure value in our society by how much something costs. Ask yourself, what do I do for the Lord that costs me something?
I’ll bring You more than a song
For a song in itself
Is not what You have required
You search much deeper within
Through the way things appear
You’re looking into my heart
In Matthew 15:8, Jesus calls out the Pharisees saying, “You hypocrites, rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying, ‘This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far away from Me.” Does what you appear to value on the outside truly match with what you value on the inside? How, through the help of the Holy Spirit, can you bring those two into alignment?
I’m coming back to the heart of worship
And it’s all about You
All about You Jesus
I’m sorry Lord for the thing I’ve made it
When it’s all about You
All about You Jesus
Romans 12:1-2 says, “Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.” This means that at the heart of worship is our willingness to sacrifice our whole selves to Him. Not just the words that come out of our mouths on a Sunday morning, but the actions that flow from a heart continually pointed toward God.
King of endless worth
No one could express
How much you deserve
I’m reminded of the beautiful words of the hymn, The Love of God. It says,
Could we with ink the ocean fill
And were the skies of parchment made
Were every stalk on earth a quill
And every man a scribe by trade
To write the love of God above
Would drain the ocean dry
Nor could the scroll contain the whole
Though stretched from sky to sky
No word or deed is grand or pure enough to truly give honor to the God of the universe.
Though I’m weak and poor
All I have is Yours
Every single breath
The woman in the story in Mark 12 who brought the single coin, she brought everything she had. It sounds like a contradiction, but we don’t have to bring much, just everything. After the passage about praising with our lips, Hebrews 13:16 says “And do not neglect doing good and sharing; for with such sacrifices God is pleased.” You see in this second part that not only do we offer worship and sacrifice with our lips, but with our actions. I like The Message translation of Luke 6:43-45
You don’t get wormy apples off a healthy tree, nor good apples off a diseased tree. The health of the apple tells the health of the tree. You must begin with your own life-giving lives. It’s who you are, not what you say and do, that counts. Your true being brims over into true words and deeds.
Please watch the daily devotional where I talk about fasting. Find ways that you can worship God by “doing good and sharing” this week.
Until next time…
Jeremy