Being With Him (A 40 Day Lenten Devotional) Sample

Day 1: To Be With Him in Worship

I think one of the greatest privileges that God has given us as human beings is the privilege to “worship” Him. Worship is the only thing that we can give to God, while all the other things are often things that we receive from Him. When He created us in His image, His desire for us was to “be with Him.”

I have often asked students in my class what they think “worship” is. The answers are often about praise, adoration, and some even say, “It’s about being in His presence.” While these components of worship have their place, I believe the primary aspect of worship is an act of surrender to God.

Paul reminds us in Romans 12:1, “Offer your bodies to God as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God. This is your spiritual act of worship.” There is no worship without the full surrender of our lives as a living sacrifice unto God. We surrender to His love, as well as His ownership and sovereignty over our lives. All other things we do to show our love in praise and adoration only come after this.

“To be with Him” requires me to understand who He is. The moment I understand God as the very reason for my existence, there is also awe and deep gratitude within me for God. In other words, there is a sense of “worth-ship.” I begin to see Him not only as a holy, awesome, and all-powerful God, but also as a God who created me and gives me a reason for my very existence today. What amazes me above all is the fact that He chooses to be with me. He longs to be with me as my friend and lover, even though He is so awesome and mighty. When the people of Israel were moving out of Egypt, God told Moses to go and tell Pharaoh in Exodus 8:1 and Exodus 9:1, “Let My people go so that they may worship Me.” In other words, God was expressing His longing to dwell with His people through their worship.

So, worshipping God is the best way to “be with Him.” Worship starts with surrender, and it is an act of my gratitude to God, as well as a way to fulfil God’s longing for each one of us. All saints of God learn to spend time with Him in worship, as that is the best way they can fulfil God’s plan for their lives. Are we worshipping Him as an act of full surrender, or is it limited to mere lip service? Any praise that does not come from a surrendered life is not pleasing to God. If we truly desire to be with Him, let us start by submitting and surrendering ourselves to God, and then all our praise and adoration will become a pleasing aroma to Him. Can we surrender our lives today as a living sacrifice to Him, which is truly the first step toward a deeper communion with Him?

Prayer

Dear God, thank You for helping me understand that I can be with You through worship, which is not primarily about my words, but about my heart of surrender. Forgive me for the times I have disappointed your longing for me by becoming too busy with the chores of life. Help me today to live a fully surrendered life so that my life itself will be an act of worship to You. In Jesus’ name, AMEN.