Ellen Chauvin | Soaked & Sprouting

Soaked in God's Word, Sprouting Seeds of Faith

Worshipping Like Wise Men

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Today’s reading: Matthew 2:1-12

I can’t fib here, or skirt around the truth: I struggle with worship. Oh, I can praise God for Who He is: God of love, faithful, healer, jealous, provider. I can thank Him for all He does: answers prayer, protects.

But worship? If I praise God for who He is, how then do I worship Him? Because we all know it’s more than just singing songs.

So, I looked to the Magi.

They were foreigners from the East. Although the Magi were Gentiles, they knew what was written by the prophets about Messiah. They followed the star that led to Jesus.

  “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.” Matthew 2:2 (NASB)

 And then?

They rejoiced with great joy.

They fell to the ground in worship.

Finally, they presented Him with the treasures they had brought.

The Magi found great joy in Jesus. We can too, during this season. At times it may be stressful, but we can choose to rejoice that our Savior lives, and that He will one day return for us.

They gave Him their treasures.  What treasure do you hold dear? For me, it is control. As I worship Jesus, I can honor Him with my love, and submit control of my life to Him. 

The Wise Men worshipped Him. In a literal sense, this means to fall to the ground, to prostrate oneself. But I’ve also found a definition that is befitting worship of the King of Kings: 

Worship is to honor with extravagant love and extreme submission. 

True worship, in other words, is the priority we place on who God is in our lives and where God is on our list of preferences. True worship is a matter of the heart expressed through a lifestyle of holiness and submission. 

We can worship by honoring God with God honoring behavior.

To worship Jesus, we can surrender our treasures to Him in love and honor; we can humble ourselves and bow low before Him; we can recognize His worth, and keep Him top priority during this Holy season – and always!

Points to Ponder:

*What are different ways you can express your worship of Jesus this Christmas? Caroling, giving, finding joy in your circumstances?

*For further reading: John 12:1-8. Mary pours expensive perfume on Jesus’ feet. What treasure can you lay at the feet of Jesus?

In The Potter’s Hands

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I was putty in her hands, turning into a wet noodle when she slowly massaged my sore and aching muscles. Oh, how I needed this after the stressful week at work! She picked up my arm and rubbed from shoulder to fingertips. I didn’t resist. I didn’t pull back. I allowed her to move my arms, legs and neck in any direction she wished, in order to do her job. She was a professional masseuse, and knew what she was doing.

Next, she worked on the hard knots in my shoulders, and the stiffness in my neck. Her knuckles kneaded into my skin. Deeper and deeper she pushed, trying to loosen my tight muscles. As uncomfortable as this was, I knew I would be more flexible afterward.

The Lord has been working on me too. Kneading into my strong will, trying to break the knots of resistance I have; the resistance to doing His will. I push against Him, causing stress and tension in my life.

Cease striving, He tells me. Let Me do My work in you. Be flexible…your way is not THE way.

I tend to rush ahead, focused on my “to-do” list, and what I want to accomplish. With my head down, I hurry along, checking things off the list. I have tunnel vision, missing the fine details around me. I can’t even see that life is passing me by in a blur.

“Wherever you are, be all there.” Jim Elliot

Barreling forward, head hanging down so as not to be distracted, I feel the kinks forming in my neck and shoulders. I am tired, working in my own strength. I need to stretch. So I look up.

Looking up to Christ stretches and eases the tension in my body. I relax and allow Him to move me any direction He wishes. I let Him rub out the rough spots in me, molding and shaping me into a better likeness of Him. I surrender to a deeper dependance on Him.

When I am putty in Christ’s hands, He shapes me.

Potters Hands

Day by day, I become more pliable in His hands. When I cease striving, stop working against Christ, He uses me. He allows me to join Him in His work, doing His will. I am what He makes me to be.

“Still, God, you are our Father. We’re the clay and you’re our potter: All of us are what you made us.” Isaiah 64:8 MSG

Lord, may we all be putty in Your hands, moldable into Your likeness, doing Your will. In Jesus name, Amen

Are you letting Christ knead out your resistance?

Until next week,

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Joining in with Kelly Balarie @ Purposeful Faith #raralinkup, Holly Barrett @ Testimony Tuesday and Jennifer Dukes Less @TellHisStory