Skip to main content

Obligation or desire?

I had a question asked of me yesterday that quickened my heart and left me wondering.  I'm still wondering for that matter.  It actually makes me a little sick to my stomach to think that I even have to question myself and admit this out loud.  But here goes . . . . . do I worship God out of obligation or desire?

We are studying 1 Kings on Wednesday mornings and King Solomon is the main character.  He's the son of David (known for being the man after God's own heart).  Solomon loved God and worshiped Him.  In fact, Solomon was allowed to build God's temple and became one of the wisest richest rulers of all time.  I Kings says,  



5 Three times a year Solomon sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings on the altar he had built for the Lord, burning incense before the Lord along with them, and so fulfilled the temple obligations.


 I'm thinking to myself, WOW, this guy's doing it all right - he's following exactly what he should do, God is pleased with him. He's following all the rules.  What more could you want?

I was then reminded of Solomon's father, David,and his love for the Lord - his words of love recorded in the Book of Psalms.  Those words are heartfelt, love poems to his living Lord, his Maker and Creator.  Throughout David's life, he inquired of the Lord MANY times, a lot of times prostate on the floor, surrendered.  It wasn't an obligation to David, it was part of who he was.

Hence, the question:  do I worship . . . do my devotions, go to church, pray, sing, love . . . out of obligation or desire.  The easy answer would be, "depends on the day" I suppose.  But my heart knows better.  

So how?  How can I make this change, this life-change really, to love the Lord, my God, with all my heart, soul, mind and strength and worship Him rightly?  First, I have to want to.  And in wanting to, I have to take the time to want to.  You know what I mean?

Whole-hearted devotion to God is a choice I need to make.  Every.  Single.  Day. 

Our Lord, through the Holy Spirit, will take that want and make it His.  Thank You, Lord Jesus.

(It's great to be "back" btw - and with God's leading, I hope to make this blog more of a priority from now on)

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Loved less.

I am a spiritual lesson seeker.  At least once a week, I find a spiritual lesson in something - whether its an occurrence, or when I'm reading my devotions.  Sometimes its in worship.  Most times, though, its every day life, the normal, day to day grind, that makes me stop, take notice and ponder. By spiritual lesson, I mean a "heart" lesson.  Something God tells me, shows me, or teaches me.  I have to smile when I think about it because its usually SO SIMPLE.  You know what I mean?  And because I take everything (literally) "to heart" , these spiritual lessons are life changing.  Sorry if you think I'm being slightly dramatic here, but to me, they really are. Deuteronomy 6:5 says, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength."  To me, that's pretty much impossible.  Yet, I pray it. And I truly want it.  But I can't.  I just . . . .  can't.  I'm too full of mysel...
1 comment
Read more

May my heart see . . . a blog? What?

My sister suggested years ago for me to start a blog.   “A what?”, I said.   Well, thank you, Cindy, for your suggestion – I think I’m gonna love this !   And I hope you do too.   I want to share what my heart has “seen” and is learning through God’s Word and I want to hear from you too.   The first time I EVER went to Bible study was when my “baby” was in an infant seat.   I remember it vividly.   (He’s 25 now BTW)    My step-mom invited me; she was the leader.   I don’t know if I would have went to a study where I didn’t know A SOUL – maybe.   Anyway, I have been going to a weekly study since then regularly and LOVE IT, absolutely love it! When scripture says “ open the eyes of my heart, Lord” – what do you think that means?   Hearts don’t have eyes, I mean literally they don’t.   My step-mom used to say, “I know it in here (pointing to her brain) but I now know it in HERE (pointing to her heart).   There’s a differ...
5 comments
Read more

It all started before that.

As she talked, I sat there amazed.   Not at what she was saying, but at who she had become.   Confident.   Godly.   Faithful.    Respected.   It just hit me that she is now a leader in our church.    A true leader.   The next generation of leaders, in fact. But wait -- is this the same young woman who God brought into our lives a little over 10 years ago?   The anxious, nervous, only-just-started-going-to- church- wanting-to-please-everyone young woman my son introduced us to?   Watching her confidently taking her seat, I started thinking of those first days . . .   and seriously, my breath caught in my throat.   How amazing God is!   He molds, He holds.   He shapes and He grows.   And He does this over and over – and it still amazes me.   That got me to thinking.   God’s amazing work in my life didn’t start with my daughter-in-love.   It started before that.   It starte...
1 comment
Read more