Real Worship

If you do not have this fascination, it could be that you are but another Esau. What a tragedy to be born of the red clay and live and die and be buried in the red clay. Shakespeare said of Caesar, “That though he be the emperor yet give nature time and nature will reduce him to a bit of clay that might be used to keep the wind away.” The great Persian poet Omar Khayyam said, “When you drink out of that vessel, drink reverently; it may be your grandfaither’s dust out of which it is made.” What a tragedy to be born out of the red clay and live a secular, earthly life and then die and be buried out of sight in that same red clay. But if you feel the charm, the tug and the pull of God, you will know what the Holy Spirit meant when He said, “I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God–this is your spiritual act of worship” (Romans 12:1). How do you get out of the religious rut? You get out of the rut by giving God your all, letting God have you completely. Concentrate your whole life on God and His Son Jesus Christ. Then seek to know the sweet fascination of loving God. You cannot stay asleep very long when the beauty of Jesus is before your eyes. Some have been asleep long enough. If you could only wake to the voice of your Beloved. If you could only be awakened and roused and hear Him speak, it would be sweeter than the voice of the mocking bird, sweeter than the sound of the harp. The voice of God’s Son–that would get you out of the rut, and that would get you out of your sleep. Jesus Christ is God’s music, God’s poetry, God’s art, God’s beauty, God’s all.

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy, and pleasing to God–this is your spiritual act of worship. Romans 12:1

Your money, your time, your abilities–lay them on the altar. But they have little meaning until you climb up on the altar yourself–giving yourself. Then live there–on the altar. All else you give will then reflect a given heart.

Prayer:

Lord, there is no meaning to giving unless I first give myself. Here I am. Please receive me.

Days of Heaven on Earth

A.B. Simpson

God has three ways of helping us. First, He says, I will strengthen thee. In other words, He is saying, “I will make you a little stronger yourself.” Second, He adds, I will help thee. By that we understand Him to say, “I will add my strength to your strength, but you shall lead and I will help you.” Third, He says, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness-or, “I will lift you up bodily and carry you altogether. It will be neither your strength nor My help, but My complete upholding.

When we come to the end of our strength, we come to the beginning of His. In Him the weakest are the strongest, and the most helpless the most helped. He giveth power to the faint, but to them that have no might at all He increaseth strength. His word forever is, My grace is sufficient for thee.

The answer is a paradox of contradictions, and yet the most practical of truths.

Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. . . . For when I am weak, then am I strong (2 Corinthians 12:9-10).