Wednesday, April 6, 2011

A Heart for Worship Reflects God’s Glory in Worship

Six days later Jesus *took with Him Peter and James and John his brother, and *led them up on a high mountain by themselves. And He was transfigured before them; and His face shone like the sun, and His garments became as white as light.  Matthew 17:1-2
A Heart for Worship Reflects God’s Glory in Worship -Matthew 17:2
Yesterday in our devotional we read about how Jesus’ face changed, became bright like the sun in response to true worship. 
The connection between the face and worship is more than coincidental.  The face is the most public part of our bodies as it is covered less than any other area.  It is also the most recognizable part of our bodies.  We don't fill a school annual with photos of people's feet but rather with photos of faces.  God desires to take our faces, this exposed and memorable part of our bodies, and use them to reflect his goodness.
Paul writes: "Our faces, then, are not covered. We all show the Lord's glory, and we are being changed to be like him. This change in us brings ever greater glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit."  2 Corinthians 3:18
A very wise church member shared some good things at a recent Sunday evening service.
“The moon reflects the sun…until the world gets in the way.”  So it is with our worship when we allow things and people to distract us from the act of true worship. 
God is seeking worshippers
But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers.  God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.  John 4:23-24
God invites us to see His face so He can change ours. He uses our uncovered faces to display His glory, but the transformation isn't easy.  The sculptor of Mount Rushmore faced a lesser challenge than does God.  But our Lord is up to the task.  He loves to change the faces of his children.
  • By his fingers, wrinkles of worry are rubbed away.
  • Shadows of shame and doubt become portraits of grace and trust.
  • He relaxes clenched jaws and smoothes furrowed brows.
  • His touch can remove the bags of exhaustion from beneath the eyes and turn tears of despair into tears of peace.
How? Through worship.  We’d expect something more complicated, more demanding, but God’s plan is simpler.  He changes our faces through worship.  He changes our hearts through worship.  He changes our lives through worship.  Others around will see a difference in your life as a result of this change.
When you are transformed by the Truth, your life is a walking billboard.  The Truth is no longer something that just comes out of your mouth, but it is reflected through all of your being.  You have been transformed, changed, by the Truth of Christ, into His very image.  Your life is a proof of Christ’s life-changing power. The place of face-to-face, spirit-to-Spirit worship is where your transformation occurs.  Ask God to reflect His glory in your transformed heart.  Pray for the ability to show others the difference transforming worship can make. 
Scripture to Claim:
But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.  
2 Corinthians 3:18

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