Lives of Worship

In Scripture, we are encouraged to consider God's mercies. We are sinners, rebels, and law breakers. We deserve punishment, and death. Yet, God made a way to fix what was broken. God has restored relationship with him, brought us back into his family, and is pursuing a renovation project in our lives, so that we will work like we are supposed to.

And we, for our part, need to give our allegiance to God, give ourselves to God, and stand with him. Scripture characterizes this yielding and standing as "a reasonable service of worship."

There are two concepts from the original language used here. The first is translated into English as "reasonable." This is referring to "spiritual reason." Mean it is logical to god.

We are beginning to see things from God's perspective. We begin to realize what is important, what God values, and we choose to live in agreement with those things. Or, as I thought about it when I was a child: I choose to be on God's side … like it was a football game.

The second is "service of worship." It refers to service to God. It is a technical term meaning "priestly service."

There are probably two ways to view this. First, we should live as God's representatives. Meaning people should look at God's family, and say: "Wow! If this is what Christians are like, imagine what the Christian God must be like! How can I become part of this?"

Second, we should live as God's agents. We, not only should look like Jesus, we should act like Jesus.

• We should forgive sinners.
• We should heal the sick, and feed the hungry.
• We should guide the lost.
• We should throw the money changers out of the temple.
• We should love, pray for, sacrifice for, and give our lives for those who are lost and broken, those who are our enemies, and those who rebel against God. 

Jesus served on "Sunday morning." And so should we. But he did not stop there. He served all day, ever day. And so should we.

Service of worship is Sunday morning. It is going to a meeting, praising God, taking communion, and listening to a message. It is also meditating on Scripture, and hearing God speak to us. It is also serving food in a soup kitchen. It is also framing a house, selling a car, painting a picture, writing a program, or a story, or an article. It is also eating dinner, and sleeping.

Everything Jesus did was worship. Everything we do should be worship.