How expensive is your worship?
How expensive is your worship?
When you talk about expensive perfumes in the market right now you might consider, Chanel no. 5 (one of my favorites), Hermes 24 Faubourg, Joy by Jean Patou, Clive Christian No. 1, amongst many more. Some perfumes are even as expensive as $1000, per ounce!!!! Mmmm......Expensive perfumes are to be used wisely and cherished at least for their worth and not used lavishly any how.
In Mark 14:3-9, we read about the woman with the alabaster box who lavished her expensive perfume by pouring it on the head of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We read in that passage that some of those present were so angry and disturbed that this woman would waste perfume that is so costly. Jesus said "Leave her alone, she has done a beautiful thing to me...". Worship is a beautiful thing. Its defined as the feeling or expression of reverance and adoration for a deity; it is the act of showing reverence and adoration. John 12:3 tells this same story but tells us
that Mary used the expensive perfume to wash the feet of Jesus using her hair. Worship that is meaningful must be an action. In order for that action to be recognized there must be a genuine motive behind it. For this woman, she knew Jesus would not be there for much longer and wanted to do something that was of worth to please the heart of Jesus. You must be motivated in order to give a worthwhile worship unto God.
What brings about this motivation? There's a song that says "When I think of the goodness of Jesus, and all He has done for me, my very soul will shout Hallelujah, praise God for saving me." God has afforded us so many gifts by His wealth of mercy. Such gifts as eternal love, eternal grace, peace, joy, wisdom, strength, wellness, sound mind, forgiveness, honor,security, hope, comfort, glory and so much more. All these are according to His goodness, how good He has been. One of my best friends shared a quote the other day that says "obstacles are what you see when you take your eyes off the goal". Now that is serious talk! Often times we focus on our present circumstances, what is going on now that is no good and not the good and wonderful things that God has done. We forget about the goodness of God and focus on the ways the Devil finds to disrupt our joy. We should cultivate the habit of putting our focus on the good things God has done and will still do because as a matter of fact, great things He has done and greater things He will do. This is what beleivers should focus on. These are the things that will propel the worship that is in our hearts and in our souls. In John 4:24 Jesus said the true worshippers will worship God in spirit and in truth. That is worship that is God centered and not music centered. I like to consider myself to be a worshipper of sorts, I love to worship. I'd like to think that my worship is not controlled or motivated by the sound of music or the beautiful voice of an awesome leader of worship, but my worship comes from the consideration of how good God is. It comes from thinking of what could have been and realizing what it is that God has kept me from; despair, sadness, heartache, poverty, homelessness etc. It comes from considering that God each day has considered it worthwhile that I remain in the land of the living. It comes from considering that those with whom I was born on the same day, month, year or hour are no more but I am. It comes from knowing that even those whom are living along with me are living a life of sorrow and agony because they don't know God or choose not to acknowledge Him and can't even phathom the goodness in still being alive. They can't even imagine how good it is to know that He has made available for us all eternal life, that His will for us is that of good and not of evil to give us a hope and a future towards an expected end (Jeremiah 29:11). When I think of all these why shouldn't I worship?
The apostle Paul urged us in Romans 12:1-2 that we present ourselves (our bodies) as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto God for this will be considered as our resonable service of worship. We are to give all we are and all we have in giving God a true worship. Some people worship because music is playing, some worship to show off their voice, some worship because they want to get something from God. True worship should be done to show your appreciation to God because of who He is and not what he has done.This woman in Mark 14:3-9 considered all these things and thought "I will give Jesus the most valuable thing I have, my perfume. I want Him to know that He's worth much more than this expensive perfume so I will sacrifice it to honor Him, to reverence Him. You know, He takes pleasure in our worship, that is the worship from the heart, it is like a sweet smelling perfume. I have a big brother who kneels down everytime during praise and worship and does not stand up until its over. This is his reasonable sacrifice. Some worship by prostrating or rolling around to show how much they reverence God. The twenty four elders and four living creatures bow down day and night non stop to worship God. Revelation 4: 10 says that the twenty four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne, and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay down their crowns before hime and say "You are worthy our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you have created all things and by your will they were created and have their being." Oh my, who am I not to worship this God?
How expensive is your worship? There are no mechanics to worship, its simple, lay down your crowns, humble yourself and bow down before Him. Open your heart and the words will come out, the worship will flow.
OSF
In Mark 14:3-9, we read about the woman with the alabaster box who lavished her expensive perfume by pouring it on the head of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We read in that passage that some of those present were so angry and disturbed that this woman would waste perfume that is so costly. Jesus said "Leave her alone, she has done a beautiful thing to me...". Worship is a beautiful thing. Its defined as the feeling or expression of reverance and adoration for a deity; it is the act of showing reverence and adoration. John 12:3 tells this same story but tells us
that Mary used the expensive perfume to wash the feet of Jesus using her hair. Worship that is meaningful must be an action. In order for that action to be recognized there must be a genuine motive behind it. For this woman, she knew Jesus would not be there for much longer and wanted to do something that was of worth to please the heart of Jesus. You must be motivated in order to give a worthwhile worship unto God.
What brings about this motivation? There's a song that says "When I think of the goodness of Jesus, and all He has done for me, my very soul will shout Hallelujah, praise God for saving me." God has afforded us so many gifts by His wealth of mercy. Such gifts as eternal love, eternal grace, peace, joy, wisdom, strength, wellness, sound mind, forgiveness, honor,security, hope, comfort, glory and so much more. All these are according to His goodness, how good He has been. One of my best friends shared a quote the other day that says "obstacles are what you see when you take your eyes off the goal". Now that is serious talk! Often times we focus on our present circumstances, what is going on now that is no good and not the good and wonderful things that God has done. We forget about the goodness of God and focus on the ways the Devil finds to disrupt our joy. We should cultivate the habit of putting our focus on the good things God has done and will still do because as a matter of fact, great things He has done and greater things He will do. This is what beleivers should focus on. These are the things that will propel the worship that is in our hearts and in our souls. In John 4:24 Jesus said the true worshippers will worship God in spirit and in truth. That is worship that is God centered and not music centered. I like to consider myself to be a worshipper of sorts, I love to worship. I'd like to think that my worship is not controlled or motivated by the sound of music or the beautiful voice of an awesome leader of worship, but my worship comes from the consideration of how good God is. It comes from thinking of what could have been and realizing what it is that God has kept me from; despair, sadness, heartache, poverty, homelessness etc. It comes from considering that God each day has considered it worthwhile that I remain in the land of the living. It comes from considering that those with whom I was born on the same day, month, year or hour are no more but I am. It comes from knowing that even those whom are living along with me are living a life of sorrow and agony because they don't know God or choose not to acknowledge Him and can't even phathom the goodness in still being alive. They can't even imagine how good it is to know that He has made available for us all eternal life, that His will for us is that of good and not of evil to give us a hope and a future towards an expected end (Jeremiah 29:11). When I think of all these why shouldn't I worship?
The apostle Paul urged us in Romans 12:1-2 that we present ourselves (our bodies) as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto God for this will be considered as our resonable service of worship. We are to give all we are and all we have in giving God a true worship. Some people worship because music is playing, some worship to show off their voice, some worship because they want to get something from God. True worship should be done to show your appreciation to God because of who He is and not what he has done.This woman in Mark 14:3-9 considered all these things and thought "I will give Jesus the most valuable thing I have, my perfume. I want Him to know that He's worth much more than this expensive perfume so I will sacrifice it to honor Him, to reverence Him. You know, He takes pleasure in our worship, that is the worship from the heart, it is like a sweet smelling perfume. I have a big brother who kneels down everytime during praise and worship and does not stand up until its over. This is his reasonable sacrifice. Some worship by prostrating or rolling around to show how much they reverence God. The twenty four elders and four living creatures bow down day and night non stop to worship God. Revelation 4: 10 says that the twenty four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne, and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay down their crowns before hime and say "You are worthy our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you have created all things and by your will they were created and have their being." Oh my, who am I not to worship this God?
How expensive is your worship? There are no mechanics to worship, its simple, lay down your crowns, humble yourself and bow down before Him. Open your heart and the words will come out, the worship will flow.
OSF
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