Through your descendants, all the nations of the earth will be blessed--all because you have obeyed me. (Geness 22:18)(NLT)
The following is a worship profile of Abraham from the Praise and Worship Study Bible published by Tyndale House Publishers-copyright 1997. I highly recommend this study Bible for everyone who wants to learn more about worship.
Costly. Demanding. Life-changing. We don't ordinarily associate these words with worship. Yet to Christians who are filled with the Spirit, worship becomes so vital that it transforms their entire lives. Such devotion to Christ can collide with goals, possessions, and ideals that we hold dear. But as we continually worship God, we will begin to yield them to God. Abraham may have been the first to discover the cost-- and profound reward-- of worship.
Abraham the Worshiper
Abraham marked his places of worship. He remembered the spots where God met him, and he returned there. One of the recurring phrases from his life is "Abram built an altar there to commemorate the Lord's visit" (see Gen. 12:7-8; 13:18; 22:9).
Abraham understood that the first step of worship is responding to what God has done for us. When told that he would have a son, Abraham trusted God's word. In fact, God declared Abraham righteous because of his belief (Gen. 15:6).
Abraham's defining moment of trust came in worship. God asked him to sacrifice his only son (Gen. 22). Before this, building altars had been a joy for the old man. This time, it was a labor of agony. All the while, Isaac kept wondering aloud where the animal for the sacrifice was. Only when the knife was raised and Abraham had demonstrated his willingess to give God his only son did God provide a substitute.
Learning from Abraham
Abraham understood that no one and no thing should receive higher allegiance from him than God. Even a dearly loved child must not rob our affection for God. Abraham worshiped with hands open and available to God, and God treated him with dignity. When Abraham laid Isaac on the altar, he had delivered his promised future into God's hands. As we learn about Abraham, we come to understand how much obedience costs. Worship changed Abraham. It ought to change us as well.
Through Abraham, the Lord revealed himself as the God who asks for everything. Yet in the end God gave Abraham far more than he asked from him. Until he gave everything to God, Abraham could not have imagined what God would do for him. Likewise, for us today worship can open our eyes to God's goodness and mercy to us, such as his gracious gift of redemption through the perfect sacrifice of his Son, Jesus Christ.
Following the Example
In worship we place ourselves before God. Holding back any part of ourselves from God represents a lack of trust. Worship demands that we give everything to God, trusting that our heavenly Father will provide for our needs and help us grow. Take inventory today of what you are holding back from God, and then pray for help to overcome your lack of trust.
The following is a worship profile of Abraham from the Praise and Worship Study Bible published by Tyndale House Publishers-copyright 1997. I highly recommend this study Bible for everyone who wants to learn more about worship.
Costly. Demanding. Life-changing. We don't ordinarily associate these words with worship. Yet to Christians who are filled with the Spirit, worship becomes so vital that it transforms their entire lives. Such devotion to Christ can collide with goals, possessions, and ideals that we hold dear. But as we continually worship God, we will begin to yield them to God. Abraham may have been the first to discover the cost-- and profound reward-- of worship.
Abraham the Worshiper
Abraham marked his places of worship. He remembered the spots where God met him, and he returned there. One of the recurring phrases from his life is "Abram built an altar there to commemorate the Lord's visit" (see Gen. 12:7-8; 13:18; 22:9).
Abraham understood that the first step of worship is responding to what God has done for us. When told that he would have a son, Abraham trusted God's word. In fact, God declared Abraham righteous because of his belief (Gen. 15:6).
Abraham's defining moment of trust came in worship. God asked him to sacrifice his only son (Gen. 22). Before this, building altars had been a joy for the old man. This time, it was a labor of agony. All the while, Isaac kept wondering aloud where the animal for the sacrifice was. Only when the knife was raised and Abraham had demonstrated his willingess to give God his only son did God provide a substitute.
Learning from Abraham
Abraham understood that no one and no thing should receive higher allegiance from him than God. Even a dearly loved child must not rob our affection for God. Abraham worshiped with hands open and available to God, and God treated him with dignity. When Abraham laid Isaac on the altar, he had delivered his promised future into God's hands. As we learn about Abraham, we come to understand how much obedience costs. Worship changed Abraham. It ought to change us as well.
Through Abraham, the Lord revealed himself as the God who asks for everything. Yet in the end God gave Abraham far more than he asked from him. Until he gave everything to God, Abraham could not have imagined what God would do for him. Likewise, for us today worship can open our eyes to God's goodness and mercy to us, such as his gracious gift of redemption through the perfect sacrifice of his Son, Jesus Christ.
Following the Example
In worship we place ourselves before God. Holding back any part of ourselves from God represents a lack of trust. Worship demands that we give everything to God, trusting that our heavenly Father will provide for our needs and help us grow. Take inventory today of what you are holding back from God, and then pray for help to overcome your lack of trust.
Singing His Praises,
Joey C.