The Lord created us with the need to worship, to celebrate, admonishing something or someone. I believe, all creation longs to worship the one true God—Jesus Christ.
We resort to some type of worship in our lives, whether we worship the Lord, something, or someone.
During the next several installments of blogs, we may venture to what occurred in the life of Israel when they “found” the book of the law in the temple, read it, and practiced what they heard. We may experience Israel’s preparation to bring about the utmost celebration of its day, causing us to land in that place of celebration.
The book of the law, “found” during the temple renovation, would enliven Josiah to the point that he read the entire book to Israel. Then, they understood the God who brought their ancestors out of Egypt.
They understood the God who said, “I AM” everything you need and will provide for you. They understood how worshiping God only, and not idols, brings satisfaction to one’s life. They understood the Passover Celebration and the significance it holds in one’s life. Therefore, they prepared to implement this Great Passover Celebration.
With Jeremiah’s announcement, “Your words were found and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart,” articles of idol worship, (gods) saw destruction.
Israel smashed pagan altars and destroyed pagan priests and prostitutes. We may not live with such idols (gods) as these, but what idols (gods) might lurk in our hearts, minds, and lives, holding us back from celebrating the Lord?
Webster’s Dictionary defines “god” as: “Any person or thing exalted or made an object of supreme devotion. Anything that absorbs one’s attentions or aspirations.”
For me, I realized that I had developed a supreme devotion to worry about life. Worry became my aspirations. Worry had absorbed my attention. I knew the Bible said in Matthew 6:33NLT, “seek the kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.”
I could not shake this worry though. I worried about everything. The worry created such anxiety in my life that I could not alleviate poor sleeping patterns, which affected my everyday energy for living. I came to the place to where I rolled all worry over to the Lord.
He would take care of the situations where people wronged others – they had to answer, to the Lord, for the way they treated others. He created me to worship Him—not to worry. He would take care of the finances in this economy—He is my provider. He created me to worship Him—not to worry. He would take care of my children, in-laws, and grandchildren—He created me to worship Him, not to worry. My life changed. Righteousness became my way of living. Joy entered my heart. Peace ruled my mind. I lived. I smashed the idol (god) of worry, preparing me for celebration.
May we stop for a moment to ponder, if there exists someone or something, which may have become an object of supreme devotion in our lives. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal answers to the following questions.
What or whom absorbs my attention?
What or whom absorbs my aspirations?
What idols might I worship in my life?
May we smash the idols (gods) set up in our lives – that thing or person, positioned as supreme devotion, that thing or person which absorbs or attention and aspiration? Roll that over to the Lord. Then, the need within, to worship, to celebrate, to admonish Him occurs as “The Great Celebration” in our lives.
Memorize Revelation 4:11ESV ~ “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.”
Oh! Did you just love when Pastor Tony said today about David being a worshiper, not a worrier!?!? That goes right along with what you have written here. I know I needed the reminder to stop and worship when I am tempted to worry.
Blessings, dear friend!
K 🙂