REAL WORSHI IS...(Part Five)

   
                                   

              REAL WORSHIP IS SECURE

"Then Abraham said to his young men, 'Stay here with the donkey; I and the boy will go over there and worship and come again to you."  -Genesis 22:5 (ESV)

Three days after the Lord instructed Abraham to go sacrifice his son Isaac he approaches near the area he was to go.  Abraham did not know all that was going to happen.  No doubt many possible scenarios may have gone through his mind during the three day journey.  However, Abraham obeyed and started the journey believing that God was a God of miracles and that perhaps one would be delivered to him. In any case, Abraham believed that his worship of God would not be in vain.

Even today, genuine worshipers may not understand everything.  One may not like the various twists in the road of one's life but true worship strives to offer itself unreservedly to the Lord in spite of what it cannot comprehend.  True worship bows to the Lord in the face of whatever comes into one's life be it good, bad or ugly.  Real worship exalts the Lord knowing Who He is, what He has done, and where the journey of faith will ultimately wind up.  

Abraham was secure in his mind that he and the boy would return together (vs. 5).  He was also secure in his thinking that it was a real miracle in itself to be permitted to worship the Lord in the first place.  

In summary for this series of blogs on worship it is good to understand that what made all this possible for Abraham was his willingness to be available to the Lord.  In Genesis 22:1 we read, "After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, 'Abraham!'  And he said, 'Here I am."    Abraham was in the place he was supposed to be and prepared to hear the voice of the Lord.  He was ready to worship!   

"But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him."  -John 4:23 (ESV)

God is seeking real worshipers today. So here is a question to ponder... 

Is your worship genuine?



                                  

REAL WORSHIP IS...(Part Four)

REAL WORSHIP IS SACRIFICIAL

 The drama continues in Genesis 22 as Abraham sets out from his servants with only his son Isaac, the child of promise (verses 5-8).  For three days it must have weighed heavy on Abraham's mind that this time his worship of the the Lord would cost him dearly.  However, Abraham does not wavier in his faith but gathers what he needs to proceed to do what the Lord has directed.  Abraham is willing to sacrifice the very thing that was nearest and dearest to his heart.  Could it be that Abraham's faith was so strong because he actually believed that God could raise the dead?  Isaac was the child of promise and if he is killed in a sacrifice then the promise can only be fulfilled if he believes God could raise the dead.  (See Hebrews 11:19)

Genuine worship is costly because by its nature it requires sacrifices.  Sacrifice of time, personal pleasures, finances, selfish desires, resources & one of the greatest things one can sacrifice is pride.  Any or all of theses need to be placed on the altar of sacrifice before the Lord.  Perhaps this is why so few truly worship since it is not cheap.  Genuine and sincere worship necessitates that everything of value be sacrificed and given to the Lord.  

"I appeal to you therefore, brothers, b the mercies of God, to present our bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship."   -Romans 12:1 (ESV)