Act of Worship

THIS WEEK I'm amazed because of something God taught me. I asked Him to increase my faith, and He has. I am more confident in Him this week than I was even last week, and that is saying something.

Have you ever read a story in the Bible that you've read many times, and yet noticed something you've never seen before? That is what happened to me when I read Luke 7: 36-50, which my friend Courtney shared at Bible Study on Tuesday morning. Jesus came to eat at the house of Simon the Pharisee, and a woman came to worship Him while they sat at the table. She worshipped wholeheartedly and humbly, while the Pharisee wondered why Jesus did not tell her to go away, since she was sinful. So Jesus gave him a parable (v. 41-42) "[41] There was a certain creditor who had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. [42] And when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both. Tell Me, therefore, which of them will love Him more?"

Simon, of course, answered that the one who was forgiven more would love him more. This parable tells us that God is willing to forgive us of any debt freely. Isn't that so wonderful?

Jesus used this parable to explain why He approved of the woman's worship. Now this was what struck me. Jesus loved the way she worshipped: using her tears and expensive oil to wash His feet, kissing them profusely, wiping them with her hair, showing her love dramatically and humbly. He forgave her many sins because she showed so much love.

What God told me through this story is that we ought to worship Him this way, even today. It's good to do Bible Study every day, to go to church and take notes, to pray regularly, to tithe. These actions are good for us, and God wants us to do them. But they are only worthwhile if they are done as acts of worship. When we stand singing in church, we should worship Him as if He were standing right in front of us. When we study the Bible and pray, we should do it to sit at His feet and listen, to learn from Him. When we tithe and do good, we should do it to honor Him, because we love Him! After all, He is worthy to be praised. He is our Savior, who stays close to our lives and nourishes us with His grace.

I have resolved to do the things I do as acts of worship for Jesus. In fact, I hope my whole life is an act of worship. We have been forgiven much, so we should love much, as Jesus said.

I think I love God more this week than even last week. I am amazed by the things He does for those who love Him. Here are a few:

He gave me friends at the FISH club, the Christian club at my school, who were willing to pray over me on Thursday morning for His blessing for my mission trip to Peru. The next day He answered me when I asked for the boldness to pass out letters to my instructors concerning the trip. (Prayers and donations are appreciated).

He actually sent groceries to my friend Jenny White by telling her friend to buy her certain things. There were specifics, like grapefruit juice, that she had wished for!

He answered the prayers of my friend Arun and his family for their Hindu relatives. Arun's cousin in Denver has begun attending church, and his uncle in India knelt with some Christian missionaries. These people were deeply devoted Hindus, and now God is moving in their lives.

So whatever happened to the woman who worshipped at Jesus' feet? She continued to see miracles because of her faith. Having been forgiven by Him, she became His follower. In John 11 we learn that she is Mary, sister of Martha and Lazarus. In that chapter Jesus responds to the faith that Martha and Mary have in Him by resurrecting their brother from the dead. It amazes me to think about what God does in response to our faith. It also gives me hope.

We all have problems, and we know it helps to pray about it. But it helps the most if we pray with expectation that He will answer. We must pray in faith that what God has promised, He is also able to perform. We must pray for the things He is okay with. And He will answer us.

Here's what Martha said when she saw Jesus when He came to visit the tomb of Lazarus. v. 21-22 "[21] Now Martha said to Jesus, 'Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. [22] But even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give you.'" She had faith, and so did Mary. God's response was to raise their brother.

What a wonderful God we worship. I'm so glad He hears and answers, and that speaks and teaches us. He is worthy of our worship. There is no reason at all that we shouldn't take the time to live our lives there at His feet, pouring on the fragrant oil and the overflowing love. I hope and pray we will all grow in our faith so that our lives will be extraordinary acts of worship, as He deserves. She did not waste a tear or a drop of fragrant oil, since it was spent on the Lord of the Universe. And her faith paid off, because she saw the resurrection of her brother Lazarus. In exactly the same way, we can be confident that our faith will never be in vain, and our love will never go to waste.