I believe that my favorite definition of Worship is the one penned by William Temple...'Worship is the submission of all our nature to God. It is the quickening of conscience by his holiness; the nourishment of mind with his truth; the purifying of imagination by his beauty; the opening of the heart to his love; the surrender of will to his purpose', William Temple
I believe that is my favorite definition...the question is...is this my experience moment by moment, day by day? Does the rebuke of the Lord through Malachi bring conviction on me, my church, my denomination...Christianity in America?
Carl Misner, brilliant scientist, made the following comments about organized religion and Albert Einstein...
I do see the design of the universe as essentially a religious question. That is, one should have some kind of respect and awe for the whole business. . . . It's very magnificent and shouldn't be taken for granted. In fact, I believe that is why Einstein had so little use for organized religion, although he strikes me as a basically very religious man. He must have looked at what the preachers said about God and felt that they were blaspheming. He had seen much more majesty than they had ever imagined, and they were just not talking about the real thing. My guess is that he simply felt that religions he'd run across did not have proper respect . . . for the author of the universe.
Nietzsche “you will have to look more redeemed if you want me to believe in your redeemer."
Consider the questions that probe the hearts of the Israelites and allow them to probe your heart! I have to say parts of this were painful, but healing for me!
QUESTIONS MALACHI ANSWERS
How have You loved us? (Mal. 1:2) God’s choice of Israel proves His love.
How have we despised Your name? (Mal. 1:6) Failure to honor God is disrespect.
How have we defiled You? (Mal. 1:7) Failing to give God our best cheapens Him.
Why shouldn’t God hear our prayers? (Mal. 2:14) You break faith with your wife.
How have we wearied God? (Mal. 2:17) By calling the evil person good.
What do you mean, “return” to God? (Mal. 3:6) If you violate God’s Laws, you’ve left Him and thus must return.
How do we rob You? (Mal. 3:8) By failing to pay required tithes.
What have we said against You? (Mal. 3:13) Saying it is futile to serve God is to deny Him.
It is amazing to me how few Christians read their Bibles daily...it is not amazing that those of the world never pick up a Bible! Let it sink in that there are five gospels, put your stones down...the five gospels are Matthew, Mark, Luke, John and your life...the world will never read the bible, but if you claim to be a Christian they will read your life.
Malachi 1:6 asks a very pointed question...God's asks if I am Father, then where is my honor, if I am master, where is my fear? We have pointed out many times that the fear is the proper reverence and awe in the light of who God is and what HE has done!
Mal 1:6 “A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If then I am a father, where is my honor? And if I am a master, where is my fear? says the Lord of hosts to you, O priests, who despise my name. But you say, ‘How have we despised your name?’
Does the life I live, does the life you live reflect that we are the adopted children of the sovereign God of the universe? Does it reflect that HE purchase us with HIS OWN blood? As we launch into 2009 my prayer for me, for mine and for you is that our lives will burn with a passion and a zeal that is an appropriate response to who HE is and who we are in HIM! Oh that our hearts will burn in 2009 as HE opens the Scriptures to us...that the world would see and be amazed and filled with wonder and not filled with ridicule.
pursuing HIM in 2009
love,
m