This morning I was reading and meditating on Matthew 1 and 2. The story of the Virgin birth, and how the wise men from the East travelled far and wide to see the Christ-child. When they did, they fell on their knees, worshipped Him and gave Him their precious gifts of gold, myyrh and frankincense.
And I thought to myself, what would I do if Jesus walked into my room that very instant? Fall down and worship... what would I say? What gifts of mine would I give Him?
And then it dawned on me that Jesus is with me every moment of the day! "Immanuel- God with us." (Matt 1:23). He is not here physically, but He is in our hearts. The Holy Spirit is with us. We are told in the Word that we are temples of the Holy Spirit. In the Old Testament, the Temple in Jerusalem was where the presence of God resided, in the Holy of Holies. Now the veil has been torn away, and God resides in our hearts. Isn't that amazing? Our constant Rock, our constant Help in time of need.
And at the same time, isn't that deeply sobering? Wherever we are, whatever we are doing, God is there beside us and inside us, watching. Sleeping, waking, eating, working, playing, driving, thinking, talking, worshipping in Church... He sees it all. Should that not transform the way we live? Should not our every action, our every word, our every thought, be an act of worship to Him? There is no sacred-secular divide. There is no public-private divide. We are His living temples, and every moment we should be worshipping.
We do not live at a distance from God, only drawing near on Sundays, and then returning to the "outside world". We live constantly in His presence, He with us and in us. And therefore, every moment can be a moment of sweet conversation with Him."Rejoice always, pray without ceasing" 1 Thess. 5:16-17. Every task, no matter how small or trivial, can be done as an act of love to Him. "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving." Col 3:23-24. As Brother Lawrence said, "we ought not to be weary of doing little things for the love of God, who regards not the greatness of the work, but the love with which it is performed."
May this transform the way we live our lives!
"Therefore, 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. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will."
Romans 12:1-2
And I thought to myself, what would I do if Jesus walked into my room that very instant? Fall down and worship... what would I say? What gifts of mine would I give Him?
And then it dawned on me that Jesus is with me every moment of the day! "Immanuel- God with us." (Matt 1:23). He is not here physically, but He is in our hearts. The Holy Spirit is with us. We are told in the Word that we are temples of the Holy Spirit. In the Old Testament, the Temple in Jerusalem was where the presence of God resided, in the Holy of Holies. Now the veil has been torn away, and God resides in our hearts. Isn't that amazing? Our constant Rock, our constant Help in time of need.
And at the same time, isn't that deeply sobering? Wherever we are, whatever we are doing, God is there beside us and inside us, watching. Sleeping, waking, eating, working, playing, driving, thinking, talking, worshipping in Church... He sees it all. Should that not transform the way we live? Should not our every action, our every word, our every thought, be an act of worship to Him? There is no sacred-secular divide. There is no public-private divide. We are His living temples, and every moment we should be worshipping.
We do not live at a distance from God, only drawing near on Sundays, and then returning to the "outside world". We live constantly in His presence, He with us and in us. And therefore, every moment can be a moment of sweet conversation with Him."Rejoice always, pray without ceasing" 1 Thess. 5:16-17. Every task, no matter how small or trivial, can be done as an act of love to Him. "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving." Col 3:23-24. As Brother Lawrence said, "we ought not to be weary of doing little things for the love of God, who regards not the greatness of the work, but the love with which it is performed."
May this transform the way we live our lives!
"Therefore, 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. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will."
Romans 12:1-2
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