I have heard it said many times that, "Worship is a lifestyle." I completely agree. Many times we get caught in the idea that worship is a genre of music or even music itself. Don't get me wrong, music is a great avenue but really it is our faith evidenced by our works that is worship to God.
Let me put this one verse out there to kind of jump start what is on my mind.
James 2:26
"For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead."
I am not one to take one verse and build an idea on it, but in this case, if you read the context of James 2, I think I will be ok.
I have recently been thinking a lot about what the life of a believer should look like when it comes to creativity and hard work. I myself got caught in the mindset that God was the one that did everything for me, and, for example, as a musician, I began to get lazy waiting for Him to zap me with the enabling lightning bolt of talent.
Go ahead. Laugh. I am laughing with you.
This is what got me.
The truth is, we can do nothing. God is not only our source of spiritual life, but He is our source of EVERYTHING, including our physical life. Each breath, each moment, each blink of the eye, each movement is a gift stemming from the grace of God.
(John 15:5, Acts 17:24-25)
So if God is our source of everything, including our strength, why would we work hard? Why would we even try at all?
WORSHIP.
The conclusion that I have come to is this. God is our source of life and strength. He has given us every breath as a gift. When we respond to that gift by utilizing it as well as we possibly can, that is worship to the Giver!
Hard work is worship to God.
Creativity is worship to God.
Timeliness is worship to God.
Pursuing righteousness is worship to God.
Endurance is worship to God.
By recognizing that we can do nothing and that God is our strength, what ever we do, whether in word or deed, we do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Christ.
What are your thoughts?
Let me put this one verse out there to kind of jump start what is on my mind.
James 2:26
"For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead."
I am not one to take one verse and build an idea on it, but in this case, if you read the context of James 2, I think I will be ok.
I have recently been thinking a lot about what the life of a believer should look like when it comes to creativity and hard work. I myself got caught in the mindset that God was the one that did everything for me, and, for example, as a musician, I began to get lazy waiting for Him to zap me with the enabling lightning bolt of talent.
Go ahead. Laugh. I am laughing with you.
This is what got me.
The truth is, we can do nothing. God is not only our source of spiritual life, but He is our source of EVERYTHING, including our physical life. Each breath, each moment, each blink of the eye, each movement is a gift stemming from the grace of God.
(John 15:5, Acts 17:24-25)
So if God is our source of everything, including our strength, why would we work hard? Why would we even try at all?
WORSHIP.
The conclusion that I have come to is this. God is our source of life and strength. He has given us every breath as a gift. When we respond to that gift by utilizing it as well as we possibly can, that is worship to the Giver!
Hard work is worship to God.
Creativity is worship to God.
Timeliness is worship to God.
Pursuing righteousness is worship to God.
Endurance is worship to God.
By recognizing that we can do nothing and that God is our strength, what ever we do, whether in word or deed, we do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Christ.
What are your thoughts?
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ReplyDeleteThis is a very simple, yet insightful look into the topic of worship.
ReplyDeleteAnd a lot of times the simpler the better. For we tend to complicate things. We tend to add and add and add until there is no reason left to try.
And we do this to God. He saved us. He chose us from the foundations of the world. His Son atoned for our sins - past, present, and future. And yet, we try to do the atoning work ourselves rather than recognize that it has been done already.
If we would only realize that we are to live "in light of" the Cross and not "in search of" the Cross (always looking to atone for our sins over and over when they have already been atoned for) then we would be able to live a life filled with worship and holiness.
We have been resurrected from the dead and are a new creation. And God wants us to live holy lives - not out of obligation but out of gratitude and respect for him. He separated himself from his Son (the one he loved the most) so that we might be brought before him. The least we could do is live for him...
I love this post Caleb - well said. I often times get stuck in the mindset of waiting for God to use my talent instead of me using it for him. This is a great reminder of how we need to step out and use what he has given us for him and his kingdom....good stuff!
ReplyDelete