Worship Fully
___
Scripture: Luke 1:46-49
The Lament: “This is Water” by David Foster Wallace
Take It Further: “So I May Worship Fully” by Kim Cameron
From the corners of my deepest shame
The empty places where I’ve worn Your name
Show me the love I say I believe
Oh let this be where I die
My lord with thee Crucified
Be lifted high as my kingdoms fall
Once and for all, once and for all
—Lauren Daigle, Once and for All
What do I worship? Not what do I say I worship, but what does my life say I worship? What occupies my thoughts? What do I worry about? Where do I find my value? In this advent season, we are called today to worship fully—to bring our thoughts to God in every moment; want what God wants; magnify him instead of magnifying our own fears; rejoice in him.
Such worship is not out of my reach, but I have to bring some honesty into this conversation between myself and God first. I have not been wanting what God wants in all aspects of my life. I have been holding onto some things that I have held very dear. One of these is the stronghold I keep on my financial security. Most of my decisions revolve around whether or not I will be able to support my family and our future, or whether a financial choice might jeopardize my version of security for my son’s college fund or my retirement years. Although I have loosened my hold a bit, if honest, I have not let go. I have magnified my fears far more than my belief that he is in control. I have placed my value not in the worth his love bestows upon me, but rather those things in which I believe I excel—including providing for my family.
For us to worship fully, to rejoice in him the way he deserves and the way we need, we must lay it all at his feet, once and for all. I started this with the words of a song that has spoken to me about finally letting go and the real struggle to do so up to this point. I want to end it with my prayer for this Advent season that we recognize our deep need to lay it all down so that we may worship God fully and lift him high as we let our kingdoms fall.
###
We’d love to hear from you. Please share with us below your thoughts and insight. We would love to see Take it Further be a place where as a community we dialog, and together we all take the conversation further.
*Note: If you wish, you can look up this and other Bible passages online at youversion.com
Copyright © 2019 Warehouse 242