I was blessed and encouraged this morning by a devotional I am considering purchasing to take with me to Namibia. It was suggested by a missionary who is already serving there. Although the weight of what the author is saying is heavy regarding our response to true worship, it comforted me because at times the choices I must make to worship and follow Him above any other are difficult for this feeble body of flesh. The comfort came from being reminded that when I do make those tough decisions, and lay myself and all I seemingly have at the altar, I am doing it so that I may truly worship the Name Above All Names. I claim and desire to follow God despite the costs, so when these decisions come I should have a peace about laying it all at His feet in surrender--knowing that His heart desires exactly this kind of worship. I love the part at the end where it challenges us to say to Him, “I am Yours. Do with me as You will. I give up my right to govern myself, because You are far more worthy to do it, and You will never do me harm. I exist for Your purposes, and for Yours alone.” Can we really say that and mean it? We must!--if true worship is what we desperately seek. May we be encouraged that when we honor God in this way, we are loving Him the way He deserves. And that makes every sacrifice worth the cost.


Wise Worship
-Chris Tiegreen, One Year Walk With God

I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your
bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this
is your spiritual act of worship. ROMANS 12:1

IN WORD Wisdom begins with basing one’s life on
reality. “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom”
(Proverbs 9:10). Why? Because fear of the Lord is based on
a true understanding of who we really are and who God
really is. But there is a next step. Wisdom doesn’t begin and
end with fear; it continues into worship. When we really
understand who God is, the natural response is to offer
Him whatever we can get our hands on—and all we have
is ourselves.

All of those in the Bible who encountered the living
God in His glory fell on their face in worship. Like Isaiah,
they would offer themselves (Isaiah 6:8). If we have not yet
gotten to that point of laying ourselves on the altar before
Him—without reservation—we have not yet encountered
the living God. His glory prompts sacrifice. It is the only
wise, intelligent, reasonable response to the magnitude of
His goodness.

IN DEED We often think of worship as words and songs
that come out of our mouths. It is so much more. It is a
lifestyle, a sacrificial way of living that acknowledges every
moment of every day that there is One far more worthy
of our allegiance than ourselves. When His interests consistently
supersede ours, and we act accordingly, we are
worshiping.

Imagine yourself in the throne room of God. See the
altar at His feet. Get on it. Lay yourself out before Him and
say to Him: “I am Yours. Do with me as You will. I give up
my right to govern myself, because You are far more worthy
to do it, and You will never do me harm. I exist for Your
purposes, and for Yours alone.” Do this every morning, then
live out your day mindful of whose you are. In light of who
He is, this is true worship. And true worship is the wisest
thing we can do.