Worship

Scripture

Perspective always fascinates me. If I spent an hour on the phone with a salesperson trying to sell me something I didn’t need, or if I spent an hour on a hike in the mountains—it would be the same and it would be completely different! Yes, they both take an hour, but they also impact me in such a different way that the time seems to change pace. Perspective impacts our Bible reading as well. Maybe the Sermon on the Mount reads smoothly but trying to spend time reading about the number of cubits the dimensions of the temple were to be built is not so smooth. Yet, God put all of it into the Bible for us to read. In Ezekiel 43 God talks about HIM coming to dwell in the temple with the people. The idea of God dwelling with His people should create a feeling of safety. However, verse 10 was really interesting to me.  The Lord tells Ezekiel that he should describe the temple to them so that they can be ashamed of their sins. And then they should pay attention to all the plans if they are really ashamed of all they had done. The measurements that I found boring were given to help drive the people back to the Lord.  How? Were all the people architectural and mechanical marvels that would be wowed by the plans?  I doubt it. Perhaps some of the people would see the reality of God through the eyes of the temple. The physical building and what it means to them would restore a sense of hope and longing. Perhaps some of them had wondered if it would ever happen and it would encourage them. Perhaps there were some who needed to see the reality of the plan—exactly what God said by giving dimensions and purpose. Maybe some just needed to see the fruition of what they had dared to wonder about. The temple placed them near God. To be near God would drive them to leave behind their sin. So, we too need to draw near Him and realize that reality. I won’t leave behind sin because I suddenly think it’s not enjoyable. However, to see the living God and have the longing to be near Him fulfilled can help the sin to lose its importance to me.

Prayer

HONOR GOD

Psalm 121:8

The Lord will protect you from all evil; He will keep your soul. The Lord will guard your going out and your coming in From this time and forever.

 My Protector and Defender is the Lord of angel armies, I will not submit to fear of opposition.

ASK GOD

James1:5

If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. He will not rebuke you for asking.

 When I dont know the answer in my situation, God does and He is good enough to reveal his wisdom when we ask for it.

SUBMIT TO GOD

Malachi 3:10 NLT

Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, “I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test! 

Can we afford to offer just a tenth of our time, thought, money, energy to the Lord. He is ready and willing to abundantly bless the portion that we give to Him.

CLOSING PRAYER

Dear Lord and Savior of mankind, thank you for the Cross! Thank you for the Cross! Thank you for the Cross! Can we say it enough? Say it again: “Thank you for the Cross!”  In Jesus Name, Amen.