[The Glory Unveiled]
He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.” [ Matthew 26:39 NKJV ]
Worship is an expression of our allegiance to God. It demonstrates what we are willing and ready to let go of because God asks for it. Abraham was willing to let go of his only son, Isaac. That was his true worship. The owner of the donkey’s cult in Matthew 21:2-3 gave it up for the master’s use, that was worship. Esther and Moses were willing to give up their royal positions to serve God’s purpose. Worship is the voice that says, “Not my will, but Thine be done.” It is when we set aside anything that points to us and embrace everything that points to God. When Jesus lay in Gethsemane hours before His crucifixion and said, “Not my will, but Thine be done,” as recorded in our anchor text, He was worshiping. We know how that turned out—His own life had to be lost. He had to die to His will, which was independent of the Father. Every kind of true worship contains an element of death. No wonder the Old Testament worshippers always killed animals; these were symbolic of what worship meant. Romans 12:1 similarly asks us to present ourselves as living sacrifices (a type of death), which it calls our reasonable and acceptable act of worship. When Romans 12:1 instructs us to present ourselves as living sacrifices, it doesn’t limit the presentation to our bodies alone. Some people assume that only our bodies are meant to be sacrificed in holiness, but it’s more than that. Our desires and wants must also be on the table and given up when God calls for it. Are you ready to give up anything the Father needs from you?
Prayer_Bead: Heavenly Father, thank you for showing me the acceptable expression of worship. Help me to die to my will and desires. In Jesus’ name.
Wisdom_Quote: Genuine expression of worship is death to self.
#GNews: Unveiling the glory of God._