''You are to rejoice before the Lord your God in everything you put your hand to'' (Deuteronomy 12:18). What a description of worship! The Israelites were being instructed about their need bring the firstfruits of their harvest and of their flocks to the Lord in his temple. At the heart of this act of worship was this beautiful purpose. They were rejoicing before the Lord over the labors of life--farming and herding.
Too often we view our labors as necessary burdens to carry out in the cause of survival. The Lord would have us look at them as gifts from him--ways to enjoy Him, opportunities to fulfill our calling in the world. When we gather before him we should be gladdened by the opportunity to present to him some of the blessing which he has bestowed upon us. We should be giving thanks for the things which we have put our hands to, and for how he has caused us to prosper in it. When Adam was created the first thing God did for him was give him something to ''put (his) hand to.'' This is a gift apart from its rewards, and to offer the Lord some of the rewards in return is our opportunity to express our joy and gratitude for the gift.
How would our lives be different if we saw our labors, our projects, and our activities--both work and play--as chances to enjoy the Lord? How would church worship be different if we brought to the assembly an enjoyment of life and open expressions of gratitude for it?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment