worship God – Be Still…

1 Peter 3:15 – Your Testimony

^“Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it.” (1 Peter 3:15)

If I am going to worship, I’m not going to just “go through the motions.” I have found myself doing that time and again, but right now in this season of life, my worship is deeper. I like how this verse describes it. When we remember who this Jesus is that we are worshipping, we want to be in awe of his majesty.

Context (1 Peter 3:13-22): There are many gems in 1 Peter 3, and in this section entitled “Suffering for Doing Good.” So “instead” of what? What comes right before this verse that would offer the alternative? It’s simply this: Instead of worrying about what people think of your faithfulness, remember God’s protection for doing good. Continue reading “1 Peter 3:15 – Your Testimony”

Romans 12:1 – Worship Like This

“And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.” (Romans 12:1)

Don’t get the wrong idea and imagine Paul telling the people in this letter to get up on a slab as a burnt offering sacrifice to the Lord. While that type of thing would be common in the pagan world, Paul’s counsel was for a different type of worship—a holy, devoted kind.

Context: The twelfth chapter of Romans is one of my favorite chapters because of all the gems. Paul’s whole letter to the Romans gives practical advice for living a faithful life devoted to Jesus. Paul had never met his audience, but he taught them with love and respect. When we think of the historical backdrop of events, new believers living in Rome had seen and endured a lot. Paul’s counsel would have been insightful and encouraging. Continue reading “Romans 12:1 – Worship Like This”

Ezekiel 46:1-24 – Let’s Talk About Worship

Read Ezekiel 46:1-24

So much detail is given by Ezekiel about this temple including its size, construction, purpose, and the people who would be tasked in particular ways. And yet, this temple has not yet been built. We can’t help but ask, “why did God give Ezekiel this vision, and will it ever be constructed?”

Perhaps that isn’t the point. Perhaps God gave Ezekiel this vision to be more of a grounding force to help the people in exile start their lives anew when the time of restoration began. Please know I am only speculating because I certainly don’t have any answers. I’m as perplexed as most people trying to make sense of these chapters. Continue reading “Ezekiel 46:1-24 – Let’s Talk About Worship”

Daniel 1:8-16 – Obedience

Read Daniel 1:8-16

Daniel is being obedient to God. He didn’t let the fact that he was taken to a foreign land stop his devotion. Even though he had been plopped into a training group to work for the new kingdom, Daniel was bold enough to not “go with the flow.”

Don’t you agree that some people in a situation like Daniel would have let their faith “cave” for fear of death or torture? Daniel showed great obedience to even ask the question. “Can we eat something else?” Continue reading “Daniel 1:8-16 – Obedience”

2 Chronicles 34:14-33 – What a Find!

Read 2 Chronicles 34:14-33

There is so much we can glean from today’s passage, which is very similar to King Josiah’s history in 2 Kings 22. The key piece fueling this story is that a scroll containing God’s law, originally given by God to Moses, has been found. The king is overcome with the news, especially when he has heard the contents of the scroll.

King Josiah humbly acknowledges, seeks God, obeys God, leads others to return to God. He does all these things despite the fact he knows God’s anger is still burning under the surface, promising to bring judgment after Josiah’s lifetime. Hence, there’s a lot going on here to reflect on. Continue reading “2 Chronicles 34:14-33 – What a Find!”