Worship is for the mighty acts, and the every day ones too
When you enter into worship, the best way to begin to enter into His presence is to stir up your spirit in remembrance of what God has done for you. Gratitude is the point of origin for all worship and without it, worship cannot exist. People “worship” for all kinds of reasons- habit, routine, obligation, personal enjoyment, but God, Himself said, in Psalm 50:14, “Make thankfulness your sacrifice to God.” (NLT) God doesn’t want alternative sacrifices, or your ideas of what a sacrifice is, or offerings of things He did not ask for. The Lord wants thanksgiving- that is the heart of worship.
They’d only heard He was a man who could perform miracles so they asked Him for help, even though they did not necessarily believe in Him as Lord. In fact, after their healing, they still didn’t get it.
Yet, as you begin to thank God, sometimes it’s hard to think of things, isn’t it? Or it feels like you’re thanking Him for the same things over and over. Hasn’t He done anything new lately?! Well, yes, He has- but … maybe you didn’t notice? In Luke 17:11-19, Jesus healed 10 lepers and only one returned to worship Him with thanksgiving. While being healed from leprosy is a big deal, and you think they’d thank Jesus- they did not. Their actual healing didn’t take place in the presence of Jesus, it took place as they were on their way to the temple. It’s very possible they didn’t even associate that miracle with anything Jesus had done, or thought it was a mere coincidence, or thought that the temple itself had some role to play as they drew closer on their way and were healed. Whatever the reason, only one man bothered to return and worship the Lord.
At this point in time, no one really knew Jesus was the Messiah. They’d only heard He was a man who could perform miracles so they asked Him for help, even though they did not necessarily believe in Him as Lord. In fact, after their healing, they still didn’t get it. They didn’t worship Jesus as Lord, because they didn’t truly believe that He was Lord, in spite of their healing! But one man got it. Jesus Christ had been instrumental in his healing- and that was worthy of running back, falling at His feet and worshipping. Jesus Christ was a Man worthy to be thanked and praised.
Thought for today
Do you notice what God is doing for you? If you want to connect on a deeper, more intimate level with the Spirit of God in worship, you must train yourself to notice what He is doing so you can thank Him for it! Jesus is always working on your behalf. He is always moving, praying, standing with you. Psalm 91:11 says God gives His angels charge over you, to guard you. Does that mean you’ll never get sick? Or that you’ll never get a flat tire? Or that nothing bad will happen ever? No! You live in a world overcome with evil, filled with people who are surrendered to Satan, but God is faithful to walk with you, get you through it, guide you, surround you, comfort you, shelter you. Every day, in every moment He is there. Your life is not a series of random acts and coincidences. For the believer, every moment is a reason to worship. Don’t be like the nine- be the one who runs back to Jesus Christ and worships in thanksgiving for everything. Your faith is what changes things.
