Jon Shah, the Lead Pastor for H20 @ OSU, continued their series on Exodus, presently in chapter 33. At first, I was distracted by a verse that he skipped - "Go up to the land flowing with milk and honey. But I will not go with you, because you are a stiff-necked people and I might destroy you on the way.” (v. 3) A fascinating verse for another time. A reminder that I wasn't teaching and a choice to be centered on God or what I want.
I'll share two things that struck me.
First - Moses was focused on knowing and honoring God. Most often we approach God wanting something from Him. Moses wanted to know God.
"If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you." (v. 13)
Knowing God is the highest form of worship. It's not about feeling better about ourselves. It's not about getting something FROM God but getting to KNOW God that makes worship genuine. Worship is more than music but that's where it's so easy to get off track.
It's easy to get focused on a song - "they're not singing it right" - "I don't know the song." Suddenly we've shifted from God-focus to Me-focus. Don't get me wrong, it's important for a worship band to give God their best (and how easy it is for a band to begin to think it's about them and not God) but it's not about preferences or what I like. It's about God.
I consider myself fortunate to have served in some settings that were not always easy or familiar. I had a lot to learn and God provided some gracious people as companions on the journey. It was there I learned God-focused worship. Sometimes I didn't know the songs, so I paid attention to the words. Sometimes I didn't like the songs, so I paid attention to God. Sometimes the music was bad, so I closed my eyes and opened my heart to the difficult gift.
Worship is not about me. Someone wrote on an attendance card: "I'd like to know who is speaking ahead of time each week." The implication was: "I want to decide whether I'm going to come listen and learn or not." Me-centered. When we begin deciding how, when and through whom God can teach us we have entered dangerous & dark territory.
Second lesson - this quote:
"The reality is we have exactly the kind of relationship with the Lord that we want to have."
That resonated with my spirit. We do, you know, have just the kind of relationship with really want. If you want to keep partial control of your life, you will work the relationship just that way. It's very me-centered.
I'm pondering today what kind of relationship I have with the Lord. If I don't like it there's no one to blame but me. Which also means I can do something about it.
How is your relationship with the Lord? Be honest. It's exactly the way you want it to be.
How's your worship? Me-centered or God-centered? What is the evidence?
So what will you do to grow?
Schmidt's! Lived in Columbus for 17 years...might have had a sausage or cream puff there a few times...ah, my youth without kids (7 years without) and 10 with in Columbus...Ryan was BORN at THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL! Go Bucks!
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