True Worship

Today’s Reading: Jeremiah 5-6, John 12

Martha, Lazarus and Mary were all serving. Martha is serving people a meal; she must have had the gifts of hospitality and administration. Lazarus is eating dinner with Jesus and others and I am sure he was sharing his testimony and recounting being raised from the dead. Mary anoints Jesus’ feet. All of them are worshiping Jesus; all of them are serving in some way. “So he answered and said, “‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,’ and ‘your neighbor as yourself.’” Oftentimes we view worship as only what Mary was doing—being at the feet of Jesus. But if you look at the New Testament reference to what worship is you see that it is beyond just an act of adoration and dedication to the Lord; worship is that and more. Worship is serving others as we are doing it as unto the Lord. Now the story of Mary makes for much better press. Just visualizing this woman kneeling at the feet of Jesus, opening her precious perfume and washing His feet; giving what amounted to about one year’s wages—it’s breathtaking. However, Martha doing dishes, washing off tables, setting tables, scrapping plates, now that is not so pretty. Nevertheless, it is beautiful to the Lord. Every time we give a cup of water in His name, is a beautiful act of worship to Jesus. “For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in My name, because you belong to Christ, assuredly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.” Mark 9:41 When our children were young and they would leave their stuff out I would say, “Hey, who do you think I am, your slave!?” One day the Lord spoke to me and the Holy Spirit convicted me when I said that and I heard, “Well, yes, yes, you are their slave, because you are there to serve them.” Understanding of course, I was their mom, but yes, I was there to serve them because that brings honor to Christ. So today, don’t get caught up in to thinking that worship is only being at the feet of Jesus—it is that (John 15) but it is more than that and we bring glory to Christ by serving others. Be blessed today in Him! “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.” Colossians 3:16-18

Next Reading: Jeremiah 7-9, John 13