Worship

Of tents and palaces

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“One thing I have desired of the Lord, that will I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord and to inquire in His temple.” Psalm 27:4

If the temple had been in existence at that time, David’s longing would have been more understandable. Who wouldn’t enjoy meeting with God amidst the ornate carving and abundance of gold in Solomon’s temple?

But during the life of David there was no temple. The ark of God remained in a tabernacle of skins and curtains as it had done since the days of Moses (2 Samuel 7:2) King David had built for himself a house of cedar, certainly something grand and palatial – suitable for a king. Yet his heart longed more intensely for the tent where God was than the comfort of his own dwelling.

 But kings belong in palaces David. Not tents.

Yet Almighty God dwelt in a tent, and that made it a palace to David.

My Quiet Love

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In stillness with my heart uplifted
Unto You in the heavenlies
I search for words that lend expression
To my soul’s unspoken pleas

Something perfectly poetic
A lovely masterpiece of words
Enduring terms of adoration
Worthy of my King and Lord

But words escape me, I am silent
Thoughts disjointed, unexpressed
Unspoken praise burns deep within
And seeks release in wordlessness

I have nothing lovely for You
Just a heart that feels as though
It’s broken in a thousand pieces
Can I lay this at Your throne?

Unutterable adoration
Expressed in tears of liquid praise
May each one say what words cannot
Though I’ve tried a thousand ways

So I sit at Your feet, dear Jesus
Silently and gaze at You
Content to dwell in wordless wonder
My quiet love I give to You.

Pause and think about this

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“that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height – to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.”  Ephesians 3:17-19

Wonderful, merciful Savior
Precious Redeemer and Friend
Who would have thought that a Lamb
Could rescue the souls of men
Oh you rescue the souls of men

Counselor, Comforter, Keeper
Spirit we long to embrace
You offer hope when our hearts have
Hopelessly lost the way
Oh, we’ve hopelessly lost the way

You are the One that we praise
You are the One we adore
You give the healing and grace
Our hearts always hunger for
Oh, our hearts always hunger for

Almighty, infinite Father
Faithfully loving Your own
Here in our weakness You find us
Falling before Your throne
Oh, we’re falling before Your throne

Oil poured forth

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Cautiously she ventured in
Although an uninvited guest
But there is one that she must see
And a task she must complete
She has brought to Him her best

She approached and unashamed
Poured out her precious, fragrant oil
Disparaged and misunderstood
By those that she thought surely would
Know that He deserved it all

The smell of worship filled the room
As her perfume ran down His head
And with a heart set free from sin
She lavishes her praise on Him
Thanksgiving in each tear she shed

Betrayers and the Pharisees
Look on in scorn and with disdain
For darkened hearts can never see
The glory of a soul set free
And view such lavishness as vain

As Mary, so it is for me
Though once lost, I have tasted grace
And seeing clearly Jesus’ worth
Let my own oil be poured forth
Until that day I see His face

Crushing

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“So He told His disciples that a small boat should be kept ready for Him because of the multitude, lest they should crush Him.  For He healed many, so that as many as had afflictions pressed about Him to touch Him.”  Mark 3:9-10

Repeatedly in the gospels we read the accounts of Jesus being thronged or pressed by the crowds.  He gained quite a reputation as a miracle worker and there were many in Israel that needed a miracle.  Most places He went there were large crowds and all of them were trying to get near Him….because they needed something from Him.

Yes, we are very needy.  And God knows we are very needy.  He has promised to meet those needs and has told us we can come and ask.  What a wonderful privilege.  But our coming to Him is not restricted to presenting our needs.

I am learning to be wary in my life of this tendency to come to Jesus only when I have a need.  He is so much infinitely more than the One who meets my needs, but sometimes I lose sight of this.  The needs in my life, which often give me a new revelation of just how not in control I am, magnify my need for Him.  But my need for Him is never less just because life isn’t spinning chaotically out of control.

Oh God, please help me remember this…..

Many will press against Him to get their needs met, but who will press against Him only to know Him?  Whose need for His Presence is desperate enough that it drives them to pursue Him relentlessly and recklessly?

Lord, I want to be one of these.

Lavish Devotion

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Matthew 26:6-9 And when Jesus was in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, a woman came to Him having an alabaster flask of very costly fragrant oil, and she poured it on His head as He sat at the table. But when His disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, “Why this waste? For this fragrant oil might have been sold for much and given to the poor.”

Mary seemed to have no difficulty giving Jesus her very best or expressing her devotion to Him in full view of those who were present. Surely they would have understood – they were His disciples, the ones most intimately acquainted with Him.

They did not.

Following Christ, witnessing the miracles, hearing His teachings, receiving insight into the mysteries of heaven, and even ministering the gospel of the kingdom with miraculous signs, the disciples failed to fully grasp the value of Christ.

“Why this waste?”

When holy things become common to us, when the sense of reverent awe and wonder is lost, worship seems wasteful. There are other, more beneficial things I can do with my money, time (__________ insert the thing of value that is too precious to you to lavish upon Jesus).

Have we forgotten that worship is more than singing a song or mouthing some religious sounding words? If our heart has not been captivated by how supremely valuable our God is, are these things really worship? And if He does not have our heart Monday – Saturday, does it really mean that much to Him if we show up in church on Sunday?

Oh, how my heart cries to be one who lavishes my all upon Him! Dear friends, let us press on to know Him, to love Him and worship Him with the fervency and devotion He is worthy of. For absolutely nothing is wasted that is given to Jesus.