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highest courage is to dare to be yourself in the face of adversity,
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Back to "On Worship" Menu
ON WORSHIP
(Part 6)
A SACRIFICE OF PRAISE
March
25, 2010
Today’s reading: Psalm 40:7-11
Today’s reading from Psalm 40 affords us an interesting
exposition on our proper posture in worship.
“Sacrifice and offering you do not want; but ears open to
obedience you gave me. Holocausts and sin-offerings you do not
require; so I said, ‘Here I am; your commands for me are written
in the scroll. To do your will is my delight; my God, your law is
in my heart!’” (Ps 40:7-9)
In the Old Testament, we see that when the Israelites came before
the Lord in worship, they would offer animal sacrifices. The
priests would burn these offerings on the altar as a holocaust, a
sweet-smelling oblation to the Lord. The primary purpose of the
holocaust was to give glory and praise to God.
But here in the psalm of David, God does not want such offerings
and holocausts. God says through Jeremiah, “Your holocausts find
no favor with me, your sacrifices please me not.” (Jer 6:20b).
Why? “Because they heeded not my words, because they despised my
law.” (Jer 6:19b).
Indeed, to come before the Lord purportedly to worship Him, but to
not be obedient to Him, is hypocrisy.
What is our proper posture in worship? There are three aspects, in
ever deepening levels.
First is obedience. We are God’s children. We are
Jesus’ servants. We are the Holy Spirit’s instruments. In all
cases, we simply need to obey. Children obey their parents,
servants obey their masters, instruments are simply tools in the
hands of the wielder. What good is it to profess God as the
Almighty when we worship, to proclaim Jesus as Lord and Master,
but not to obey? It is unthinkable.
Second, on a higher and deeper level, is a self-sacrificial
offering. We not only obey, but we actually offer ourselves: “Here
I am!” Obedience is good, but not enough. Jonah
eventually obeyed God in being told to preach to Nineveh, but he
first tried to evade the responsibility. Only after he had been
thrown into the sea and swallowed by a giant fish did he obey. We
can come before the Lord in worship and resolve to be obedient,
but it might be done grudgingly. It cannot be that way. God should
not have to chase us or to force us. We must willingly present
ourselves before Him.
Third, again on an even higher and deeper level, is delight
in worship. We not only are obedient, we not only present
ourselves to God, but we delight and have great joy in the
opportunity and privilege of coming before our God. We might
present ourselves before God in our community assembly, but we
could still be lethargic, distracted, uninspired, not eagerly open
to what the workings of the Spirit might be for that time. The
proper posture is to eagerly look forward to what God has in store
for us, delighting in being in the very holy presence of God,
deeply grateful for the privilege. It is having childlike
anticipation of how the Spirit of God will act. It is bursting
with zeal and enthusiasm for the great event that is about to
unfold, when the people of God come before Him in worship.
Notice something further in the psalm. David speaks about ears
open to obedience. Then he says that God’s commands for him are
written in the scroll, thus something that is to be seen and read
by his eyes. Finally he says that God’s law is in
his heart.
In worship we hear what God says in the silence of our
hearts or through the spoken word in prophecy and inspired
scripture reading, the mighty praises of God shouted out by the
brethren, the music we sing that glorifies God, the exhortation
and prayers of the leader and others. In worship we see how
God’s presence animates us all hands raised, dancing to the
music, giving each other a greeting of peace, reading words
written in the scroll (the Bible), united hand in hand as one. And
in worship our hearts are touched by God.
Ears, eyes, heart the fullness of our being! The Biblical
understanding of “heart” is the seat of intelligence and
decision. In English we would use “mind” or “will.” The
heart is the symbol of the core of man, who the man truly is. So
we worship with our all. We present ourselves whole to God
body, mind, spirit. All that we are is offered as a sacrifice of
praise.
There are practical implications to the above.
First, do not miss community assemblies unless you have a very
good and valid reason. It is not just one of the many activities
that you do as a Christian. Worship is the proper manifestation of
our relationship with God. God is God and we are His people. So we
worship.
Second, live out a life of obedience to God. “Does the Lord so
delight in holocausts and sacrifices as in obedience to the
command of the Lord? Obedience is better than sacrifice, and
submission than the fat of rams.” (1 Sam 15:22). Obey God’s
commandments. Further, we in CFC-FFL have a covenant with God;
live that out. God has given us our Core Values; live that out. If
we are not obedient, then our coming before God in worship is
meaningless and certainly not pleasing to Him.
Third, offer yourself as a living sacrifice to God. Live only for
God. Do only what is pleasing to Him. Have Him alone as your
priority. Walk in the very footsteps of Jesus. That means a path
of holiness. That means embracing the cross.
Finally, rejoice in the Lord always. Delight in the Lord and His
ways. Even when you do not understand, trust in Him. Rejoice even
in affliction and suffering, for the redemption that these bring.
“Find your delight in the Lord who will give you your heart’s
desire.” (Ps 37:4).
Worship is an awesome event. Jesus says, “For where two or three
are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of
them.” (Mt 18:20). Jesus our Lord and Savior is with us! The
angels and saints, with Mary our mother, worship with us. What an
awesome privilege and blessing for us.
“Enter, let us bow down in worship” (Ps 95:6a).
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