If someone asks us to identify our single most important responsibility as Christians, I am not sure what would be our reply. For some of us, it could be our family chores or studies and for others it could be their jobs or businesses or ministries. Is it not true that worship is the biggest causality in the lives of most the Christians today? According to reformist Martin Luther,
“The most acceptable service we do and show unto God and which alone He desires of us, is, that He be praised of us”.
Christian Statesman A. W Tozer is of the opinion that we should not be concerned about working for God until we have learned the meaning and the delight of worshipping Him. Our thought for reflection this Friday morning is “Our God Alone Deserves to be Worshipped”.
Then the man bowed down and worshiped the Lord, saying, “Praise be the Lord, the God of my master Abraham, who has not abandoned his kindness and faithfulness to my master. As for me, the Lord has led me on the journey to the house of my master’s relatives”
(Genesis 24:26-27).
The Christian who fails to recognize who God is, would also fail to rejoice and worship Him. A church bulletin aptly said:
“Too many Christians worship their work, work at their play and play at their worship”.
But for Abraham’s servant in Genesis 24, Worship was delightfully being preoccupied with God even in the midst of his serious work. How would it be possible for us to be preoccupied with God even when are busy with our work?
1. By constantly recollecting God’s work in our lives.
Abraham before sending his servant on the business of searching for a bride for his son, recollected God’s hand upon his life: Abraham said,
“The Lord, the God of heaven, who brought me out of my father’s household and my native land and who spoke to me and promised me on oath…”
(Genesis 24:6-7).
In the same way his servant too, recollected how in the past God had been kind and faithful to his master Abraham and had blessed him abundantly (Genesis 24:27, 35). Have we forgotten God and His works in the midst of our busy lives? Did not the Psalmist say, “Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits”?
2. By constantly recognizing God’s hand in our work.
Whenever we achieve something or succeed in our lives we either think it could be a just reward for our hard work or merely a natural process. But Abraham’s servant, consciously recognized God’s hand in everything he did. He said,
“God let me on the right road”
(Genesis 24:48),
“the Lord has directed”
(Genesis 24:51),
“the Lord has granted success to my journey”
(Genesis 24:56).
Not only that, the servant bowed down and worshipped God twice (Genesis 24:48, 52). Do we recognize the divine hand upon us and actively respond to God by declaring His worth through worship?
May we spend not just this weekend but our whole life in worshiping God by constantly recollecting His divine hand upon our lives and our work! Let’s begin this day with this prayer:
“Dear Lord, forgive me for allowing my family chores, work, studies and ministerial responsibilities to take the centre stage of my life. I humbly confess that I have neglected worship. Make me an instrument of worship which is always involved in the most acceptable service of glorifying you.
In Jesus name!... Amen!”
Blessed weekend!