The first thing the returned exiles do is set up the altar
of sacrifice. Before they begin to lay the foundation for the new temple, they
are diligent to work quickly and set up the altar. This was the place,
commanded by Moses in Exodus 29, for the offering of burnt offerings to the
Lord. It was the place of worship, which preceded all that they would do. The
people came to Jerusalem for the Feast of Booths and worshipped God daily
around the new altar. A few months afterward they began the work of
reconstruction on the temple.
For us, there is a strong reminder of the priority of
worship. Before we work for the Lord, before we give to the Lord, we should
worship the Lord. But in our worship let us remember that it is our awesome
Heavenly Father that we are worshipping and focus on him. Bob Kauflin tweeted a
day or so ago: “In 2015, let's be less passionate about worship and more
passionate about the triune God we're worshiping.”
I think what Bob means is not to be more enthralled with our
“act of worship” than the God whom we worship. Worship is not just making
music, in fact, that has very little to do with what true worship is. True
worship is presenting myself to the Lord as a living sacrifice 24/7/365. True
worship is loving God with all my heart, soul, mind and strength.
So let’s examine ourselves. Are we determined to worship God
first, above all else? Have we built our altar of sacrifice, metaphorically
speaking, and placed ourselves upon it for his glory and honor? Are we
worshipping the Lord in spirit and in truth?
Prayer: Father, help me to worship you in all that I do.
Help me to know that every thought of my mind, every word of my mouth and every
act of my body can be worship. Show me, by your grace, how to truly worship you
with all that I am.
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