Yesterday I introduced you to Adam Ranck, intern worship leader at Washington Avenue Bible Church in Ephrata, Pennsylvania. Adam led worship for us at Relevant last year and was gracious enough to write a guest post (which I have graciously turned into two - hee) for me. Read from the beginning here. And now for the continuation...
I find it very interesting that God would tell Israel He’d rather the doors to the temple be shut and fire kept unlit than receive their polluted offerings of worship to Him. “For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name will be great among the nations, and in every place incense will be offered to my name, and a pure offering. For my name will be great among the nations, says the LORD of hosts.” (Mal. 1:11).
Jesus’ death and resurrection are the most pure offering to cover our sins. Jesus is our only salvation. But as living sacrifices to God, are we offering the best of our worship and adoration to Him?
God deserves our very best, and desires us to pursue Him and to pursue righteousness (1 Tim. 6:11. 2 Tim. 2:22). It isn’t enough to call on Christ’s salvation, and then live whatever way we want to live. We are offering ourselves to God as living sacrifices. And as Romans 12:1 says, we are called to make this living sacrifice “holy” and “acceptable” to God. It’s not a matter of earning salvation, but of our heart’s true devotion. If we truly love God, we would want to worship Him with the very best of ourselves. You can know a person’s heart by their fruit (Matt. 7:20)
The people in Malachi thought they were doing it right with their offerings of lame and defective sacrifices even though they knew they had better to give. This is why God was un-accepting of their offering of worship. They were careless, half-hearted, and lazy. Is this what our God deserves?
Are you offering polluted worship to God, or are you giving Him the very best of what you can give?
Is this something you struggle with? What are some of the ways you remind yourself to keep giving God your best? Share some of your thoughts in the comments.
WORSHIP LIVING: Here are a couple questions to help you consider this personally and clean pollution out of your worship.
1. When you sing songs of worship to God, are you thinking about what you’re saying, or are you just mouthing the words? Should you be singing those words if you’re not going to live it or do it?
2. Do your actions and lifestyle follow the words and songs you are saying to God or about God?
3. Are you making excuses of why you can’t give God more, when you know full well that you can? Are you being lazy?
4. Are you filling your life with business to avoid giving God more of yourself?
------------------------------------------------
WOW! I told Adam I wasn't going to post this because I was too convicted! This was so good! Thank you, Adam, for sharing your heart. If no one else needed to read it, I certainly did.
Find out more of what Adam is up to at adamranck.com.
No comments:
Post a Comment