I have been reading in 1st and 2nd Kings. Some kings did well and some really bad. You would think that what made them a good kings was their ability to lead the nation, manage the economy, and keep God’s enemies at bay. Not the case… What made them successful in God’s eyes was their reaction to idols. Some kings worshiped idols, some just allowed it. These kings were considered to be sinful. Then their were kings that led people to God to worship in God’s temple. They prohibited worshiping of idols. They were considered good kings. Then there was the best of the kings. They tore down the worship places for idols. They burned them to never be used again.
Then I had to ask what is an idol… Is it an image made of something? If that is the case… I have never worshiped an idol. Doing some research I found an idol is now an image, but an idol is anything you like, love, or trust more than you like, love, and trust God. Have there been things that I have liked, loved, or trusted more that God? Yes. I am guilt of idolatry. I do not want to have an idol. David was considered a great king of Israel, I think one of the reasons he was great was he prayed prayers like this:
Psalm 139:23 Search me, O God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.
24 Point out anything in me that offends you,
and lead me along the path of everlasting life.
Can you imagine inviting someone to search the inner most parts of your heart? You would really have to like and trust them. He goes a step further and invites searching the anxious thoughts. A person who invites searching the broken places is a person who wants to please Jesus. This is a person who wants to worship without being held back. “Point out ANYTHING…” What if we prayed this way? What if we worshiped this way? ANYTHING is complete trust. It speaks a level of relationship he had with God. You would only open up at that level when you knew they would handle your heart in a safe way. “Lead me” is true humility because you recognize your need to be led and that you don’t have all the answers.
Who do you let search your deepest thoughts? Who is worthy to test your actions? Who will you let into the offensive ways about you? Who is worthy to lead you to everlasting life? This person is WORTHY of your worship! They are the only one worthy to like, love, and trust more than any other.
Worship is to lie prostrate in the dust. I challenge you today to lay prostrate before the ONE who is WORTHY to know your deepest thoughts, test your actions, call out your offensive ways, and lead you to LIFE! Worship is not a sound or a lyric, it certainly isn’t a song written in a certain time… Worship is to let Jesus be declared worthy of praise and following His lead.
Recklessly, obsessively following Jesus
Brandon Sereg
