Worship

On the Wednesday before the cross, Jesus told his disciples that he was going to be crucified. The religious leaders made plans to seize and kill him. And it was on Wednesday that Judas met with the High Priest and bargained for the sum of thirty silver pieces to betray Jesus. However, one encounter with Jesus stands out as an extravagant act of worship.

Over the last few days, we have been following a man who was concerned about his soul. He was young and wealthy and claimed he had kept all the commandments since he was a boy. Now, Jesus calls his bluff.

The king had been humbled. The great Babylonian king, Nebuchadnezzar, who had been compared to a lion (Jeremiah 4:7) and an eagle (Ezekiel 17:3-12), was driven from his kingdom to eat grass like an ox (Daniel 4:33). God got Nebuchadnezzar’s attention! When he came to his senses, he “blessed the Most High” God. We learn a lot about God and ourselves in Nebuchadnezzar’s prayer.

On the Christmas cards, it’s all picture-perfect. With a star illuminating the manger, three wise men, with their camels parked outside, bow down before the baby Jesus. And, of course, at the bottom of the card are the Hallmark words—Wise men still seek him today. But…let’s see what Scripture says about these visitors.

What is God calling you to do? A closer walk with him? A new focus on your marriage? More spiritually intentional parenting? A new career? A new area of service? Are you following God’s call? Do you fear that saying “yes” to God will make you say “no” to something or someone else? Are you afraid to surrender? Why?

The writer of Hebrews describes God as a “consuming fire.” What does he mean by that?

Have you ever attempted to hide from God? I have. I think most of us have tried. We look for dark places where we rationalize that God can’t see our actions. We snuggle up in an emotional corner and focus on our feelings. We head for a mental open range where our thoughts can run free. But we can never hide from God! That’s one lesson God taught King David many times.

Today’s devotional is for those who serve in church ministry. Certainly, serving the Lord in different areas of ministry is a great demonstration of love. You may serve as a teacher for children, teens, or adults. You may cook meals for those going through challenging times or serve food to the homeless. You may be gifted in music or skilled in technology. But please hear this: Service without worship results in spiritual burnout.

Solomon didn’t take a survey, but as he observed wealthy people, he noticed that some held tight to their money, sharing it with no one. Others squandered their money on risky business schemes. Both left shallow legacies.