"All heaven will praise your great wonders, LORD ; myriads of angels will praise you for your faithfulness. For who in all of heaven can compare with the LORD ? What mightiest angel is anything like the LORD ? The highest angelic powers stand in awe of God. He is far more awesome than all who surround his throne. O LORD God of Heaven’s Armies! Where is there anyone as mighty as you, O LORD ? You are entirely faithful." Psalm 89:5-8 (NLT)
I was participating in an online, midweek church service when the words of a song grabbed my attention - "...whatever it costs me...". It's easy to just sing those words, but the reality of the potential cost in singing them in earnest honesty, might not be so easily made comfortable to our flesh. Coming to a place though, where consciously and honestly meaning those words in relation to putting God first above all other people, places, situations and things and following Him wherever He might lead, brings us in closer proximity to the truth ... and to the Father.
What do we fear the most? What if it cost us exactly that to follow the Lord? Would "whatever" include that? For some that "whatever" might conjure up some pretty graphic thoughts. For others it might draw out something as simple as setting aside one's pride, stepping over the edge of one's own known and controlled self intellect into the previously unknown self effacing expanse of abandon before God and man ... in true holy worship.
I remember being deeply troubled by a comment from someone close to me, who complained that he didn't find the worship portion of Sunday church services "entertaining" and wished that the service consisted of merely the teaching portion instead. I was grieved in my heart for him because I realized that he was missing something deeply important ... and in fact, possibly the point.
It seemed to me that at least a portion of what my friend was gaining intellectually by the teaching that he had an obvious thirst for, wasn't becoming clear reality to him enough to reach his heart. The very truth that he sought was failing to breach the barrier between being just raw intellectual data into becoming the inspiring reality of living relationship with the fulfilling, powerful, awesome and overwhelming presence of The Living God - the very purpose we were created for.
The point of all of scripture is to teach us who God is and to draw us to Him. He created us for Himself and through scripture He introduces Himself. We have the opportunity to learn who He is, His character, His power, His creativity and His unfathomable love for us. Everything that we know in nature and indeed in this universe was created to sustain us, for our wonder and for our pleasure. And when that wasn't enough - when our sin made us destined to be separated from Him forever - separated from the all-holy, just and righteous God that He is, He sent Himself into the terror of the horrific punishment we deserved for the crimes that we committed against Him and took it all upon Himself, sparing Himself nothing. He then made sure that we knew the pathway back to Him by preserving the record and the instruction to the way in the bible and through the teaching from it that my friend had a longing for.
The disconnect between just receiving and compiling the teaching and the reality of knowing the awesome wonder of who God is and all of the grand courtship of us that He began employing before man's actual time began shamelessly, and in front of all of heaven, is a heavy veil. It's a veil that robs some that Father God loves from experiencing the reality and fullness of that love relationship that He desires to share so much - the very purpose and meaning of our lives. He offers His all ... and still, some settle for obligatory religion.
That disconnecting veil is a door that we must seek honestly and sincerely to open ...
“Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you." Matthew 7:7
... but it's a door that once opened, leads to a true joy, gratitude and adoration in worship. To know the Living God in honest relationship can't help but overflow into sincere and honest worship. In our intellect, we know that 2+2=4, but in God's economy I believe that 1+1=1 and also, truly believing God+truly knowing Him intimately=adoring worship.
I've said this elsewhere, but it bears repeating because I believe it's true: "Finding that holy place in worship has no match anywhere in life. And our honest submission to drop all pretense and meet Him there, finds us laid bare before a Holy God who's just waiting for us to come and experience Him in the wealth of His character. I believe that it's stepping for a precious, brief moment, into the life we are created for - a life we will experience without end one day."
"For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me." Jeremiah 29:11-13 (NLT)
As for my friend, I hope that he steps off of the edge of his prideful intellect into the arms of his loving Creator and surrenders himself to walk with Him in real life fulfilling relationship - whatever that costs him. I'm not sure that he has even yet. I pray for him still - that he'll find what he's been missing by stepping over the edge. The experience of God's presence in worship is worth any price and the personal connection to Him brings the wholeness that can't be bought by us at any price - He's already paid for it.
"No, O people, the LORD has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God." Micah 6:8 (NLT)
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