Worship is proof of life
In Matthew 8, the story is told of the leper who broke from the crowd to run to Jesus and worship at His feet. There, Jesus was able to reach out and touch him so he was healed? Why? Because worship brings you close to God. He can reach you anywhere, of course, but in worship? There’s nothing between you. The air is clear. He inhabits your praise (Psalm 22:3) so when you worship, He’s right there. Worship is a powerful spiritual weapon because Satan desperately wants to disconnect you and he’ll use any tactic whatsoever to make that happen. Don’t let yourself fall for it- God wants you in worship. He doesn’t care if you’re a leper. Run to Him!
After the leper was healed came this: “Then Jesus said to him, “See that you tell no one. But go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded as a testimony to them.” This was a significant thing Jesus said! Why? Because the “gift that Moses commanded” was a worship response to the man’s healing. God still wanted his worship! The man worshipped as an act of faith before his miracle and Jesus told him to continue to worship in gratitude after his miracle, which would be “a testimony“. Two birds, scarlet, cedar wood and hyssop were the “gifts” Jesus was referring to (Leviticus 14:5-7). But why those things?
After Jesus healed this man, He wanted this man to be changed on the inside too! Truly set free! A lifestyle of worshipping the Lord will ensure that what God has done doesn’t stop there.
Check this out! One bird was to be killed as a sacrifice, representing the blood that Jesus would one day shed for the remission of sin. The blood from the sacrificed bird was used to cover the second bird and then be sprinkled upon the leper seven times. Then the living bird was set free. Hyssop represented spiritual cleansing (Psalm 51:7) while cedar wood represented righteousness (Psalm 92:12) and the scarlet was a picture of sin (Isaiah 1:18). See what was doing here?? After Jesus healed this man, He wanted this man to be changed on the inside too! Truly set free! A lifestyle of worshipping the Lord will ensure that what God has done doesn’t stop there. He doesn’t heal just to help and walk away. He heals and performs miracles because He wants what is on the inside of you to receive the real healing. Your worship is proof of life- proof that you are truly set free.
Thought for today
The depth of what Jesus did each time He healed someone is truly profound. Jesus never just healed someone and walked away. The physical miracle was only half of the story. He was more concerned with a life transformed by the love of God. Worship is proof that you have been transformed. God doesn’t need you to worship. He wants you to worship. That is completely different! Worship is your responsibility because it is a testimony of Jesus Christ. He healed you, saved you, touched you, transformed you, answered you- but you can’t let it stop there. “The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy,” the Bible says in Revelation 19:10. When you worship in gratitude for what God has done for you, you are testifying and prophesying that what God did for you, He will do again for someone else. What can you worship Him for today??
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