WORSHIPPING THE WAYS OF GOD - PART 8

PART 8 - WORSHIPPING GOD WHEN DEPRIVED OF EVERYTHING

Greetings readers, this will be the final part (Part 8 is one of my favourite) on the subject on worshipping the ways of God. I trust that you have be challenged and trust that the lessons on God's sovereign rights will not be just mere knowledge. I pray that Holy Spirit will impart it into your spirit as a "revelation" so that from now on your worship will be for Him and and all of His perfect ways!

WORSHIP IS BOWING DOWN TO THE WAYS OF GOD

TPWC

Unlike the case of King David where God's holiness demanded His vindication of His sin (see Part 7); the case of Job was upon a righteous man. God in the mystery of His ways permitted him to be deprived of everything he possessed thought He Himself declared that "There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shun evil" (Job 1:8 NIV).

How did Job react to the sudden calamities and disasters that stripped off all of his wealth? " At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship and said: Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised" (Job 1:22-21). Job first's first act was to worship God. In Job's case there was no question of God having to vindicate Himself because of sin in his life. It was purely a question of God acting as He deemed well. Though Job in a matter of hours had been stripped of all his possessions, he could instantly fall down and worship God. Here was a man so utterly subjected to God that he could unhesitatingly bow to all of God's ways. Where there is true worship, there is no complaint. Whatever God's dealings with you maybe, whether they seem reasonable or unreasonable, they are invariably good (Roman 8:28). In David's case they were reasonable for he had sinned. But at times, as in the case of Job, they seemed unreasonable.

May He grant us grace from this day forth to offer Him not only worship that is as a result of revelation, but worship that expresses itself in an unreserved acceptance of His ways. May we learn these two aspects of worship: those who worship Him for what He has by revelation made known of Himself, and those who dare worship Him by their willing submission to His ways with them. Let us cease questioning God's dealings with us and let us cease asking any explanation of His dealings, however baffling they may be. Let us in simplicity of heart accept it as a settled fact that all His ways are higer than our ways and all His ways are perfect. Amen!

Twelve Basket Full Vol 2 - Watchman Nee
Copyright (c) TPWC

WORSHIPPING THE WAYS OF GOD - PART 7

PART 7 - WORSHIPPING GOD FOR HIS VINDICATION OF HIMSELF

God's way does not always involve His answer to prayers. The reverse is often experienced. What should be our attitude in such circumstances?

In 2 Samuel chapter 12 we have the record of King David's sin in connection with Bathsheba. God sent the prophet Nathan to him with the message that the child would surely die. David had sinned, but he loved his son though the child was the fruit of his sin. He had a father's heart and he pleaded with God for his son's life. But God said, "Because by doing this you have made the enemies of the Lord show utter contempt, the son born to you will die" (verse 14 NIV). But David continued to seek the Lord and he sure knew how to pray. We see in verse 16 that he fasted and all night long he laid prostrate on the ground before God, but the child died! Anyone who has not learnt how to be subjected to God's way would have charged Him with harshness when his request was not granted. Many Christians have controversies with God when His ways conflict with their ways. Other might rebel or loose heart but not David. When the child died, his servants feared to break the news to him. They reasoned among themselves that if David was almost overwhelmed with anxiety when the child fell sick, his grief would be unbearable if he should learnt of his child death.

What actually happened? "Then David got up from the ground. After he had washed, he put on lotions and changed his clothes, he went into the house of the Lord and WORSHIPPED. Then he went to his own house, and at his request they served him food and he ate" (2 Samuel 12:20 NIV).

What is worship? It Is bowing to the ways of God. It is not a dull kind of submission. It is not lapsing into hopelessness or passivity. It is a positive recognition of the sovereignty of God's ways.

It is often necessary for God to vindicate Himself in relation to us. It means that if we sin He has to justify Himself by making it clear to the angels, to the devil, to the world and to all His children that He has no part in our sin. He has to make it plain to the principalities and powers, to the world and to the church that He cannot be involved in our iniquity. When we are found guilty before Him, His govermental hand comes upon us and we are tried in fires of affliction. How do we react at such a time? Worshippers who know His ways will say: "If my affliction can vindicate Thy holiness, then I say, amen! If You can make known Your righteousness by my suffering, then I acknowledge that You do all things well and I gladly accept Your dealings upon me."

May God deliver us from our controversies with Him. When we meet with disappointments and frustrations we shall choose to worship Him if we see His ways.

Watchman Nee - Twelve Basket Full - Vol 2
Copyright (c) - TPWC

WORSHIPPING THE WAYS OF GOD - PART 6

PART 6 - WORSHIPPING GOD FOR THE GIFT OF A CHILD

In Samuel chapter 1 we truly meet the spirit of worship in the story of Hannah. Peninnah had children but Hannah was barren, and "her rival kept provoking her in order to irritate her" (verse 6 KJV). Hannah in her distress sought the Lord for a son, and her request was granted. As soon as the child was weaned she brought him to the temple in Shiloh and presented him therewith these words: "I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of Him. So now I give him to the him to the Lord. For his whole life he will be given over to the Lord" (verse 27-28 KJV).

Let us note two phrases here: "The Lord has granted me ... I give him to the Lord." The Lord gave her the child and she gave the child back to the Lord. The sum total of her request was for this child and when she had received all she had craved for, she gave ALL back to the Giver!

Hannah's offering can be truly written that she "WORSHIPPED THE LORD." It is not the person who wants God's grace, but the person who wants God Himself, who can worship Him wholeheartedly! Hannah shows us what was supremely precious to her ... not the answer to prayer, not the grace given but God's way with her in the giving of His gift. God gave Samuel to her and she gave Samuel back to God; and as Samuel passed out of her hands into God's hands, worship emerged from her heart to God's heart.

A similar classic example can be seen in the life of Abraham. Note his remarks to his servants when he was on his way to offer up Issac: "I and the boy go over there. WE WILL WORSHIP ..." (Genesis 22:5 KJV). To Abraham the offering up of his son was not a matter of sacrifice, but it was a matter of worship. For him to worship God was to give his son to God. Abraham recognized this as God's way of receiving worship, so he offered worship in the way that God desired.

To worship God, we need to consecrate our all on His altar. True worship is found in one place - at the altar. When our hands are emptied of all we hold dear, the focus shifts from self to God, and that is worship. It is necessary that "Samuel" pass out of our hands.

WORSHIP IS BOWING TO THE WAYS OF GOD

Watchman Nee - Twelve Basket Full - Vol 2

Copyright (c) TPWC

WORSHIPPING THE WAYS OF GOD - PART 5

PART 5 - WORSHIPPING GOD AS THE LORD OF HOST

The book of Joshua opens with God's commission to Joshua to lead His people into the land of Canaan. God's aged servants Moses and Aaron has died. Now Joshua, a young man, was faced with this enormous task. If Moses, with all his years of experience was unable to bring the people into the land, what hope was there for him? How would he be able to cope with the seven tribes that inhabited the land, all of them formidable foes? And how could he lead people like the children of Israel, with their fear of death and constant complaints? Faced with such a challenge, Joshua must have felt overwhelmed.

At that point he saw a vision. A man with a drawn sword appeared before him. Not recognizing the Man, he asked."Are you for us or for our enemies?" (Joshua 5:13 KJV). The Man answer was, "Neither." He was neither for one side nor for the other, He has come for one purpose, "As Commander of the army of the Lord I have come." (verse 14). Praise God, this is the purpose of our Lord Jesus! He has not come to help us, not our enemies, but to take His place as Cpatain of the Lord of host. If you belong to the Lord's host, then He is your Captain. The question here is not one of receiving help, but of accepting leadership. He has not come to offer assistance, but to demand SUBJECTION.

How did Joshua react when he heard that this Man has come as Commander of the Lord's army? "Joshua fell on his face down to the ground in reverence (worship)" (Joshua 5:14). Do you see the ways of God? The issue is one of submission to His leadership. God does not stand in the midst of the conflict giving a little help here or there. When He is in command all is well! You do not know God if you think He can occupy a subordinate position in your battle. It is His place to lead and it is your place to submit. It is only when you are in your right place under His command that you will know what it means to worship and what it means to have the drawn sword wielded on your behalf.

Twelve Basket Full Vol 2 - Watchman Nee
Copyright (c) TPWC