HeartWorship
Most months, I write a short church bulletin article to help my spiritual siblings prepare for worship. Many are kind enough to tell me that they enjoy and appreciate them. I tell them they are “Barnabases” — encouragers.
And even as I say “Thank you” to them, I feel a little dishonest. Some of the “HeartWorship” items I write don’t even feel like my writing even while I’m punching the keys, let alone days or weeks later.
Here’s a sample of those familiar/unfamiliar items from the past few months:
Security Guaranteed
If the values we cherish most are found in clothes or cars or cash, we’ll have to face the fact that there will be moths and rust and thieves.
Stocks rise and fall. So do banks and nations and men.
No one knew that better than King David, who — at one time or another — lost virtually everything that can be lost: power, dignity, respect, wealth, family relationships, finally his health. Sometimes, he regained what was lost.
But at all times, he recognized Who was his rock, his fortress, his tower, his strength, his refuge, his glory, his salvation — the One who saves what is lost.
(Matthew 6:19, 20; Psalm 61, 62)
Joyously Ever After
She worships him. And he would do anything for her.
In fact, he did. He rescued her from a fate worse than death, braving insult and torture and the ignominy of her own scarlet past. He willingly bore that burden though it separated him from his own father for a time … and then from her.
That time passed quickly for him, though it seemed much too long to her. When the rescue was complete, he would wash her and present her with a beautiful white bridal gown, and a promised reunion with his father.
But theirs was no fairy-tale relationship. The rescue cost him his life.
It’s no wonder she worships him, and awaits his return.
(Ephesians 5:25-32)
Beautiful Feet
The feet anointed for burial by a sinful woman had walked many miles, and into many places of worship.
The feet nailed to a cross had walked through Samaria to bring good news of worship in spirit and truth to another sinful woman whose concept of worship was tied to a mountain.
The nail-scarred feet His followers clung to as they worshipped Him had returned so He could remind them of His example of mission and worship. He came back to commission them to do as he had done, and — before those feet were lifted from among them one last time — to promise He would still be walking with them in Spirit.
For the beautiful feet of His followers bear a message of salvation and praise that is one and the same, just as prophesied many hundreds of years ago:
“How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, “Your God reigns!” — Isaiah 52:7
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