On occasion I get this glimpse of being a part of some grand movement of God - some lofty goal and purpose that will override all of the usual, busy routines of my day. On other occasions - OK, usually - I just plug along through my day. I check items off my list, I respond to the needs or demands on my time. The majority of the things I do are a repetition of the prior day and there is no real sense of a great, eternal purpose or calling. We just live and hope that perhaps at some point we will get to do something of significance. For many of us this(the belief that there is more but we will never be a part of of) leads to discouragement, a marked lack of zeal and a deep weariness of soul. Others just ignore the questions about purpose and significance and go along as though this is it - we proceed to find things that give a false value to our life.
At church we have begun our 25 week journey through Ephesians and get right into the thick of it this week as we look at Eph. 1:3-6. No matter what view you may take on election and predestination it is impossible to miss the truth in this section that God moves with intention and purpose. He chose us and destined us for a purpose - to be a part of His ongoing and eternal Kingdom work. So, what were we destined for? Sonship - to be heirs with Christ. And what does the passage say is the mark of sonship that God has destined in us? Love - love embodied in holy and blameless lives. What a grand purpose - yet He called us to something even greater than that - to give "praise to His glorious grace!"
As a believer - every moment, every detail, every mundane task, every errand I run, each load of laundry, every conversation, each line I stand in ... everything has a design and purpose and God is in the middle of it. He made me His child and accomplished His redemptive purpose in me to make me holy and blameless, a reflection of His love so that my life - yes, my very normal, routine life - would point to and magnify His grace!!
There is no such thing as an insignificant moment, hour, day or life for a believer. The most routine and "seemingly" unimportant days of my life are all shaped and marked by a magnificent Savior and a glorious purpose. He will exalt His grace through me today! There is no "great purpose" to look for - He planned it before the foundation of the world and is carrying it out right now in us! Enjoy today, receive it - we are not destined to a great calling someday - we are in the midst of it right now.
Praise the LORD from the earth, you sea-monsters and all deeps; Fire and hail, snow and fog, tempestuous wind, doing His will. Psalm 148:6
ReplyDeletePastor Chris has been pounding on the same nail for a long year, at least. Which is good, because obviously, we don’t get it: We were made for worship. And so often worship is too closely linked in the minds of believers as standing together in a building singing songs. And there are problems with that ... some of us don’t sing so well, things drift in and out of my mind the whole time that are not at all about Him, and overall those four or five songs can be a pretty rough experience. I know. I live with a “worship leader” and my friends are “worship leaders” and after service we all sit around a big table at Bisonwiches and wrestle over what was that all about. Some people like Nicole are really able to enter into this time with a whole and undivided heart, but most of us, I suspect, end up feeling a little guilty and a little left out of the show. And the whole title “worship leader” of course reinforces this idea that the singing part is the be all, end all. In his blog, Chris quotes Isaac Watts who also found hymn singing a bit rough, back in 1707: To see the dull Indifference, the negligent and the thoughtless Air that sits upon the Faces of a whole Assembly, while the Psalm is on their Lips, might tempt even a charitable Observer to suspect the Fervency of inward Religion; and ‘tis much to be feared that the Minds of most of the Worshippers are absent or unconcerned. And then there is the childish understanding that still lingers under the surface for most of us... that heaven is going to be standing around singing songs for all eternity as we somehow tangle with a harp that we don’t really understand or particularly like. And that is that. The whole idea is a bit disconcerting, for this we were created?
Yesterday I was struck by an almost overwhelming understanding, or at least a glimpse of the truth that Resting is worship. In its fullest and most practical sense. When Peter had his eyes on Jesus, he was saying, literally with every bone and fiber and neuron of his body, “I believe that You are God all-powerful.” Worship. When I don’t fret about food and drink and clothes or tomorrow, I am saying, “I believe that You are God all-powerful.” Worship. And Mary. Not worrying about societal norms or what other people were thinking or trying to make them happy. Worship.
And this psalm isn’t exactly saying that obedience is worship, although I suppose it is, but really can fire and fog and wind obey? Or do they simply do what they were created to do- and this um, movement is an act of worship, declaring, “You are the God who after creation declared it good.” This probably falls under the Eric Liddell quote: I believe God made me for a purpose, but he also made me fast. And when I run I feel His pleasure.
And lastly, another worship that doesn’t involve rhythm or key. Love. By walking in love, as He first loved us, every cup of water offered is an act of worship. I am saying, “You are LORD my Savior.” And resting, “You are all-powerful.” I am not. I don’t have to figure things out or judge or fret. And, for what I am created to be, a child of God. Once again, from Chris’s blog: There is no such thing as an insignificant moment, hour, day or life for a believer. The most routine and "seemingly" unimportant days of my life are all shaped and marked by a magnificent Savior and a glorious purpose ... my life- yes, my very normal, routine life- points to and magnifies His grace.
We were made for worship.