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Previous Challenge Entry (Level 1 – Beginner)
Topic: Worship (corporate) (10/04/07)
WHAT’S IN YOUR BOX?

Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil. But one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, who would betray Him, said, "Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?" (John 12:2-5 NKJV)

Walking up to Jesus wasn’t an easy decision for Mary, especially with the crowd that was surrounding Him. Really she should be giving Martha a hand preparing the meal. But something inside her pushed her forward. She just couldn’t hold back her expression of worship any longer. Making her way across the room, she knelt at the Master’s feet.

It is in our most intimate moments of worship that we come into contact with the heart of the Father. In moments of intimacy, He tells us the truth about who He is and who we are in Him. A worshiper is a partner in intimacy. The Father is seeking an intimate partnership with us that only comes from worshiping in truth.

Worship can take many different forms of expression. What we do during praise and worship time at church is merely one expression. Webster’s dictionary defines worship as “reverence paid to a divine being, to regard with great, even extravagant respect, honor, or devotion”. Every act of service performed with a view of eternity in mind is an act of worship. Worship is not a single action relegated to a moment in time. It is a lifestyle.

There are two things that worship does. First, it changes our perspective on the situation – we see everything from God’s viewpoint. Notice that Mary gave no response to the negative comment made by Judas. His words were meant to cut her, to make her look small and insignificant in the Master’s eyes. But she only heard his words through the veil of intimacy between herself and Jesus. She heard and saw Judas from the viewpoint of Christ, where his words could not touch her.

Secondly, worship changes the enemies perspective of us – He must now look past the Father to see us. The only one to respond to Judas was Jesus. Judas could not touch Mary in her place of worship without running head first into her shield and her defense. The same One sent to be her salvation.

Any expression of worship stored away on the inside of a believer is an untapped river looking for a place to flow. When Mary opened the box of her heart and allowed her worship to flow the aroma filled the house. One worshiper unleashed can be the hammer needed to break loose the worship of an entire congregation.

The oil of our worship can not fulfill it’s intended purpose until it comes into contact with the Savior. Mary used spikenard to anoint Jesus, which represents the worship of the heart and the fragrant love of the devoted follower of the Savior. Her one act of pure worship released in joy affected an entire house filled with people. The simplicity of her honest heart made a difference to Him as she knelt before Him, just as your worship makes a difference to Him now.


FOR FURTHER STUDY

Read Ephesians 5:2. In this passage we read that Christ gave Himself as an offering and a sacrifice for a sweet smelling aroma unto God. Christ gave Himself as the sacrifice of worship. Can you see your worship rising to the Father as a sweet smelling aroma? Do you see worship as a momentary event that is based on circumstances? Or, is worship a way of life for you?

Heavenly Father, we come before You with an offering of worship. May it rise before You as a sweet smelling sacrifice. May we be changed by the sacrifice of worship that we offer, and may it move us beyond a single act of worship and into a lifestyle. In Jesus name, amen.
The opinions expressed by authors may not necessarily reflect the opinion of FaithWriters.com.
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Member Comments
Member
Date
Marita Vandertogt
10/14/07
I like your points about worship changing our perspective, and the enemy's. Thanks for sharing your insights. Lots to think about. Well done.
victoria teran
10/15/07
I loved this story. It was a reminder that what we bring the King as a personal gift will not always be seen by others as appropriate. Yet to Him it is very important because we gave it freely. Isn't that what true worship really is?