Alternative View - July 13, 2017
The Light of Worship
In His Presence: “If we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship” (1 John 1:7).
In his classic book, The Pursuit of God, pastor and author A. W. Tozer writes:
When we sing, “Draw me nearer, nearer, blessed Lord,” we are not thinking of the nearness of place, but of the nearness of relationship. It is for increasing degrees of awareness that we pray, for a more perfect consciousness of the divine Presence. We need never shout across the spaces to an absent God. He is nearer than our own soul, closer than our most secret thoughts.
Why do some persons “find” God in a way that others do not? . . . Of course, the will of God is the same for all. He has no favorites within His household. All He has ever done for any of His children He will do for all of His children. The difference lies not with God but with us.
In Old Testament times, there was a spiritual distance between the people and God. Before entering His presence, the priests were required to wash ceremonially and offer a sacrifice for their sins. Only after doing this could they enter the temple. Women could only worship in a certain area of the temple. Their husbands could travel a little further toward the altar of God, but the priests were the ones who offered sacrifices for the people. This is not so today.
The coming of Jesus Christ ended this rigid form of worship and tore away the veil that separated God from His people. Today, we are never outside of His presence. Therefore, it is even more important to be sensitive to His holiness and our need for purity.
The Israelites ritually washed in order to be clean before God. However, after Christ’s resurrection, they did not understand that the gift of God’s grace could live with them and cleanse them completely. Today, we can bow our heads in prayer, ask God to forgive our sins, and be completely assured that He does. We are cleansed—not because we are special but because His Spirit lives within us. Isn’t this enough to stir your heart to worship and praise?
One Minute Please
The Word of God cleans you and prepares you for worship, even when you do not know it is at work in your life.
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