A Picture of Worship

Hidden within the gospels is one of the greatest pictures of what it means to worship.

…Let me paint the scene…

Jesus has been invited out for a feed. He has His posse there and they have just kicked back at the table.

Now their host for the evening was one of those religious guys… a real political heavy weight at the time. An election around the corner… a sudden change in the leadership of the party… what better time to wine and dine a guy such as Jesus!

Radical in dress, behavior and philosophy… going from town to town with a rough group of guys… yet an amazing ability to draw crowds in the 1000’s… In the eyes of any political leader this guy was a wild card you probably wanted on your side.

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Not a scene one would expect to experience a sudden act of worship… no Joel Houston… no Chris Tomlin… no Hillsong… no background acoustic guitar of piano…

Just a women… someone with a past that is no longer hidden… a person with a reputation and a track record…

Head hung low, she makes a beeline for Jesus… the scriptures don’t talk much about the walk – truth is they don’t really need to.

The room would have become deathly silent. All that could be heard is the gentle sobbing of this young girl… then the murmuring starts:

“Isn’t she…”

“What a sinner!”

“She has no right to be here!”

A sudden crack silences the room once again… a sweet fragrance fills the air… and then the tears flow… the wailing of a broken person who has just been made whole.

You know it is little wonder we need not add to scripture… for there will be no greater picture of what it means to worships… and as the gospel writer recalls the story… God brings out His paint brush and strokes one word…

 

SURRENDER

 

When we ponder the question – “what is worship?”… I believe that God would reply… Come to me NOT with an ability… For it is no about:

• A guitar
• A sound
• A poem
• A preach

God does not want us to come with full hands declaring look what I can do…. Rather I believe He asks us to come with empty hands and an open heart wanting to receive…

 

…God wants a broken heart…

 

… and this is what the lady of the world came to give… on her knees, tears streaming, a posture of complete brokenness, kneeling at the feet of her Saviour…

Now watch what happens next…

Jesus speaks over her!... in front of all her critics… in front of a world which looks to condemn… JESUS DECLARES HER WHOLE!

 

When it comes to worship the greatest prayer we can pray is… “Jesus break me”… Because through the process we WILL know God in true intimacy.

For worship begins and is sustained through brokenness… never about me… ALWAYS ABOUT HIM… It is why the greatest stance we can make before our Saviour King is one of surrender.

I long… I thirst for longing to bow before the feet of my King and weep… to be completely broken… to be completely surrendered… and then for the rest of eternity be forever whole… be forever found… and then forever worship!