OzThoughts Tuesday 9th December 2008

OzThoughts Tuesday 9th December 2008

“Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness,
Worship the Lord in the spirit of praise.
Bow down before Him,
Love and adore Him,
Come let us worship in spirit and truth.”
Author: James Curnow

When the Shepherds came to worship, they came with empty hands, willing hearts and an open mind. The Wise Men came with some ideas and brought gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.

It is easy to get caught up in “little rituals”. They are all around us in life and we feel sometimes fell more comfortable when “little rituals” are being performed and spoken in a formula of words.

James Curnow in the above chorus calls us to “Come let us worship in spirit and truth”. I see here an eco of the words of Jesus to the Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well.

John 4:23 (New International Version)

Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.


John 4:23 (The Message)

But the time is coming--it has, in fact, come--when what you're called will not matter and where you go to worship will not matter.
"It's who you are and the way you live that count before God. Your worship must engage your spirit in the pursuit of truth. That's the kind of people the Father is out looking for: those who are simply and honestly themselves before him in their worship.

As we approach Christmas we need to seek to worship Jesus in a simple yet truthful and spiritual way. They may mean leaving of the little rituals and just doing it in simple faith he Shepherds who said “let u go and see this thing which has been made known to us”.

PRAYER:

Father God, help us come before you with empty hands, a willing heart and an open mind that we reach out to you and be filled with the Spirit of Jesus. Amen.

[Listen: http://www.salvoaudio.com/audio/music/mus_453.mp3 ]

Christians awake, salute the happy morn
Whereon the Saviour of the world was born!
Rise to adore the mystery of love,
Which hosts of angels chanted from above;
With them the joyful tidings first begun
Of God incarnate and the Virgin's Son.

Then to the watchful shepherds it was told,
Who heard the angelic herald's voice: Behold,
I bring good tidings of a Saviour's birth
To you and all the nations on the earth;
This day hath God fulfilled his promised word,
This day is born a Saviour, Christ the Lord!

O may we keep and ponder in our mind
God's wondrous love in saving lost mankind!
Trace we the babe, who hath retrieved our loss,
From his poor manger to his bitter cross;
Tread in his steps, assisted by his grace,
Till man's first heavenly state again takes place.
Author: John Byrom (1692-1763)
The Salvation Army Song Book: Song umber: 78

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