O the Wonderful Cross!

O the wonderful cross … we talk about it, sing beautiful songs about it, and its image is frequently used – but you just can’t underestimate the importance and centrality of the cross in our lives and in the history of the world. What’s really struck me recently about the ultimate sacrifice is, as one hymn writer put it, ‘those wounds yet visible above, in beauty glorified’.

It’s amazing to think that the only ‘imperfect’ thing in heaven will be the wounds of Christ. As we see them in Jesus resurrection body in the gospels, so shall we see them in heaven - eternal reminders of his amazing love and sacrifice for us. What a provocation to respond to! The Bible shows us the response of Mary and Mary Magdalene after the resurrection as they run to Jesus, hold his feet and worship him (Matthew 28v9). We also see a similar picture in Revelation chapter 5, which describes the elders, living beings and millions of angels ‘beholding His hands and side’ and worshipping the Lamb who was slain. Magnificent.

Sometimes I wonder if we’ll really have enough to do for all eternity, but its moments like these that I begin to think there just wont be enough time…one glimpse of those wounds and I will be away, lost in another wave of thanks and worship to the King!

All hail Redeemer hail, for Thou hast died for me
Thy praise shall never, never fail, throughout eternity

Made for His pleasure

As a good follow-up to what Rich wrote yesterday, here's a quote from A.W.Tozer's classic book, "The Pursuit of God":

God formed us for His pleasure, and so formed us that we as well as He can in divine communion enjoy the sweet and myseterious mingling of kindred personalities. He meant us to see Him and live with Him and draw our life from His smile.

It is true that our whole life is to be lived as a worshipful, enjoyable response to God's revelation of Himself. I love that!

Revelation and Response

Nifty alliteration? Maybe. Life changing truth? Definitely.

We know that God is Almighty, Sovereign, Creator, Father, King and Lord of all – and when we have seen even just a glimpse of that, when we encounter God, we cannot help but respond. The unbeliever may walk away (for now!) but our response will always be one of absolute praise, thanks, wonder and worship for who He is, for what He’s done and for everything He will do. How can it be anything else?!

Isaiah is one who had such a revelation, in a life-changing throne room encounter with the Almighty God (Isaiah 6). Really, the only reasonable response Isaiah could give to seeing the holiness and the glory of the Lord Almighty was one of obedience and sacrifice: ‘Lord, I’ll go! Send me.’ You get the impression of an immediate and passionate response, one that is focussed on the ultimate purpose and plan of God, and not concerned with the details. It is a response of love, trust and devotion. And this is all God really wants - our hearts in total abandonment and worship to Him.

Oswald Chambers once said ‘Worship is giving God the best He’s given you’. What response could be a greater act of worship than giving everything to Him, for His glory and honour? Matt Redman agrees. His latest album, ‘Facedown’, and the accompanying book, are bursting with revelation and response. Matt has really caught something of the heart of God, and the overflow of his heart, his response, in the songs he has written is heartfelt and majestic. Matt writes: ‘When we catch a vision of the whole Christ, it commands a response from the very depths of our being. Worship is always in reply to revelation. As we begin to see the all-deserving worth of God, it produces an all-consuming response in us – every thought, word and deed submitted in reply to His lordship.’

Enough said. God reveals and we respond, it’s as simple as that!

Hitting the mark

In the latest Together e-newsletter, Gareth who carries an apostolic function towards our work in Coventry, outlines the key marks that we are aiming for in the coming year as part of the international family of God's people. Click link below for the article:

http://www.togetherweb.net/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=79&Itemid=71

If you are not subscribed to the Together e-newsletter, let us know and we'll get you on the list.

Worship - An invitation to die

God is calling us to worship him, and to go to deeper places in our worship. Simple statement, profound implications.

We know well that worship is more than songs; more than part of our meetings; more than our devotional times – it’s our life. But what does it mean that we are to go deeper in worship?

Abraham set off up the mountain with Isaac and his servants with the intention of obeying God’s instruction to sacrifice his only son. At a certain point he told the servants to wait behind while he and the boy were going on ahead to ‘worship’ (Gen 22:5). The meaning of this word ‘worship’ in the original language is very interesting – it means to prostrate, to bow down (in homage to royalty). It is talking about the ultimate act of humility in the presence of someone great. That’s what Abraham was going to do. In his obedience to God he was in effect saying “God, you’re great. I bow before you in worship. I shall not dishonour you by leaning on my own reason or intellect, neither by taking a more comfortable route. I choose to obey you. I worship you.”

In our corporate journey together, the Holy Spirit is drawing us to be more like Abraham in the situation he faced. We are learning that worship is not a subjective, personal thing – in fact, wherever I bring anything of ‘me’ into the equation, I have just erred from true worship. Worship is to come humbly, obediently to God, recognising he is the focus, he is the one we strive to please and he is Lord. If he says sing, I’ll sing. If he says dance, I’ll dance. If he says give, I’ll give…whatever he asks. If says go here, do this, say that…I go, do, say, explaining “I’m just off to worship.” Worship and comfort or personal preference are not compatible. Worship is an invitation to the throne of God, where I die.

“It’s all about you, Jesus, for your glory and your fame. It’s not about me.”

Passionate for God's best

My thoughts this morning are filled with options and possibilities...things like where to meet, what kind of meeting should we have this week, should we eat together afterwards or before etc! I have heard about the 'paralysis of choice' and know exactly the truth of that concept. I feel sometimes it would be much easier, and would feel more successful even, if we just went down the road of doing pretty much the same thing in the same place, week on week.

The problem we have is that we can't do it - for us it would be wrong - because of what we have seen of the passion of God for his church, for his world. Bryn Jones coined the phrase 'prisoners of divine purpose' and that exactly sums it up.

I am realising more and more that this Coventry adventure is not about us doing things how we want, or having the chance to express our own particular style - it is God's plan, his mission, his church, his world. Our job? Simply to listen and obey as best we know how. If we get caught on what we like, we'll become inflexible and stale. If we can be spiritual enough to seek the ever-deepening revelation of the Holy Spirit, I am 100% convinced we will see something awesome happen in this city.

O God, keep me humble, tender, flexible....obedient.