Greetings in Christ,
Trust and worship, do they go together? Can one be reflective of the other, or can they operate individually in a person’s spiritual life? Do they have to be intermingled in a person’s spiritual life?
We know we must trust God in our lives as we walk with Him, but is it reflected in the way we worship Him? This selected reading gives us some examples of trusting, but in there somewhere I believe worship takes place as well.
Nehemiah is calling for the usury to be lifted from the people who had to borrow money to pay their bills, maintain their property, of pay their taxes. They have even given their children to slavery just to keep from losing their collateral. Nehemiah realizes this must stop and calls for those who lend money to release the collateral and give it back to the people who are borrowing money. Nehemiah himself has been loaning money and steps up to release the collateral he is holding for payment. He even goes farther to write he has not even used taxpayer money to support him or his staff in the time of his reign over the people so the burden would not be put on the people.
Nehemiah has put his trust in God to provide all his needs for himself and the staff he supports. He states he is fearful of God, and he does not want to be held accountable for any wrong doing. Nehemiah is humbling himself before God and letting God be God. He realizes the first thing about worship is to be humble. It is through the humbleness worship begins. It is in the humbleness, Nehemiah looks to God as the creator and giver of life giving God the glory for what He provides.
Luke records Paul’s activity one night as he talks to the people in Troas. Paul is notorious for run on sentences in his letters, and it is reflected in his speaking in this occasion. Paul loves to talk about Jesus, but his love sometimes can very long. It was going into the late hours of the night when Eutychus’ eyes became very heavy. Eutychus falls asleep and tumbles out of the window where he was sitting, and he falls three stories to the ground. Fear struck the crowd knowing the fall was fatal for Eutychus, but Paul positioned himself over Eutychus and prays for him. Paul rises only to speak to say life was still in him. The crowd realizing Eutychus was alright went back inside to continue listening to Paul until the morning.
Paul’s trust in God led to many people turning to God for their help. In that night’s activity, it could have turned for the worse, but Paul took an opportunity for the people to give praise to God for taking care of one of their own. It reinforced what Paul was speaking about Jesus and His reason for coming to earth. The night was even more special as they broke bread and celebrated Jesus’ return to the earth.
In Luke’s account, he records Jesus calling for the people not to be anxious about their life. He calls for the people to not be concerned for the food or drink they require, or the clothes they need to cover their bodies. Their concern should be looking to God for their spiritual needs. Life was more than just food, drink, or clothes, but rather spiritual depth and sustenance. If the trust was in God, He would provide for their physical needs. It is again calling for them to humble themselves before God and let God be God setting the stage for worship to take place.
The way we trust God is reflected in the way we worship God. The way we worship is reflected in the way we trust God. The two must work hand in hand. If we really do not trust in God, we cannot truly worship God. Worship begins in out humbleness to let God be God. It is the realization we are dependent on God, and it is in the dependence of God we praise Him for providing for our needs. There is no better way to show our trust than to worship Him for what He has done for us!
“O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is Thy name in all the earth, Who hast displayed Thy splendor above the heavens!” Psalms 8:1
“Who is the King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle.” Psalms 24:8
“Ascribe to the Lord the glory due to His name; worship the Lord in holy array.” Psalms 29:2
“How blessed is the man whose strength is in Thee; in whose heart are the highways to Zion!” Psalms 84:5
Lord may our trust and worship be reflective of each other. May we always give You the praise You so deserve. Amen
Blessings,
Mark Johnson
Psalm 8, 24, 29, 84; Nehemiah 5:1-19; Acts 20:7-12; Luke 12:22-31