The children of Israel are getting restless. They’ve waited 40 years for this—this entering the land of milk and honey. They are ready to cross the Jordan: to go, to fight, to settle, and to rest.
As you are, boys. Ready for college. My prayer for you has one more letter as I listen to Moses speak.
G, for Go.
R, for Remember.
O, for Obey.
And now W, for Worship.
I imagine Moses shouting these truths to his people as they fidgeted in the sand and rocks beyond the Jordan: “For the LORD your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God…You shall fear the LORD your God. You shall serve him and hold fast to him, and by his name you shall swear. He is your praise. He is your God, who has done for you these great and terrifying things that your eyes have seen.” (Deuteronomy 10:17-21)
Moses remembers the great and terrifying day his children crossed the Red Sea, the day that God saved them from the Egyptians. His eyes have seen how those who were in dangerous pursuit were now sprawled dead on the seashore.
On that day, Moses sang, “The LORD is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation; this is my God, and I will praise him, my father’s God, and I will exalt him…Who is like you, O LORD, among the gods? Who is like you, majestic in holiness, awesome in glorious deeds, doing wonders?” (Exodus 15:2;11)
Who is like you, O LORD?
Boys, when you were little I created a sheet of paper for you to fill out during the worship service. You practiced listening and taking notes. You drew a picture of what the pastor was preaching before you were old enough to scribble down the words.
After church we’d talk about it during lunch. “What did you learn?” We still do that (with no pictures). “What did you learn?”
But maybe all that time, we were asking the wrong question.
Worship isn’t about us and what we learned. Worship is about God and who He is. Who is like you, O LORD?
The frequency of the word “worship” cheapens it, drops our eyes to earthly matters instead of raising them to the God of gods. Worship folders, programs, music, service, style, leader…Sometimes we break it into tangible pieces when it really cannot be grasped. God cannot be grasped.
Worship means reverent honor and homage paid to God; adoring reverence or regard (www.dictionary.com). It means giving worth to Whom it is due.
Which is why worship is work.
Moses and the Israelites knew that. They had been creating and carting around the tabernacle for years, and it was made of the best of what they owned: gold, bronze, silver, linen, acacia wood and yarns in colors of blue, purple, and scarlet. It was heavy, extravagant, and glorious.
All for a God who owns it all and deserves more than we can give back.
They worked at their worship. They had seen the great and terrifying things the Lord had done for them, and this was their enthusiastic–and obedient–response.
You worship the same God.
So as you start college and make decisions about worship, focus on Who you worship. And work at your worship—give it your best.
And I will keep praying for you these prayers: that you Go, Remember, Obey, and Worship. GROW.
Carolyn
I love this! At the last service when I parted from my son at college, the message was about crossing over, pitching a tent, setting up an altar, and worshipping. They picked up stones to remember and keep. This fits beautifully with those words that I am keeping in my heart. Thank you.
07 . 09 . 2017