Tip 259: Live to Worship God

I have returned to my joy and reason of living which is to worship God, my Creator. Not to worship myself, the people I love or the idea of making this world a better place and live for others. Not even to merely live for my family. There is a miracle of life when being in awe of God, trusting God and saying, "Yes, I will do whatever you want of me and acknowledge you as my God". It is never easy to say that. Abraham said that to God when God asked him to bring his son to be sacrificed. It must have felt so troubling and must be one of life's most challenging dilemma. Giving up all you have for God. I encountered that question when I was 16 years old and my answer pleased God. He could search my heart and knew that my love was sacrificial. And God remembered as He did Abraham's love. It served as an altar between me and God for both of us to remember.

It does seem crazy to live your life for some One else. Why not live each day for yourself? Yet, as we trust the Almighty, we only seek to discover life's joy and pleasure. It is the thrill of knowing God and knowing He knows you. God's knowledge of you is beyond skin deep. It is trusting that all your needs are met and as you delight in God, even your desires are fulfilled as who better to know you than your Creator.

Throughout our spiritual journey with God, we may utter how important God is in our life. But at certain episodes in that journey, we may come to a crossroad where we are faced with the choice of just living for ourselves, or acknowledging that only God matters. Yet, God understands if we are not ready, but greater joy and blessing comes to those who say yes.

It is a paradox that when God seeks us to give, it is for Him to reveal our lack and to point us to His provision. God is not selfish but is Love. Abraham was stopped to sacrifice his son, as the lamb was provided. I was not short changed when I chose serving God over my studies. As Jesus asked the Samaritan woman to serve her water, it was Jesus who provided the living water. The water from the well that we can draw upon will not be what God has planned for our lives. Never guess the ways of God to bless us. The question is are we willing to live our lives to honor Him? Do we value God in our lives? Are we truly convinced that God is worth it? Do we have faith to go to the next level of our relationship with God? Are we ready for a paradigm shift that only God's purposes matter, not our efforts? It can be scary to give away the little we have. Yet, God's provision is immense to supply all our needs.


The lyrics by Wayne and Cathy Perrin sums it best.
When I look into your holiness, when I gaze into your loveliness,
When all things that surround become shadows in the light of you.
I worship you, the reason I live is to worship you.
When I've found the joy of reaching your heart, when my will becomes enthralled in your love,

To human is to err. It will be difficult to be faithful to God, no matter how bright and awesome His love for us. Pride seeps in when God blesses us with our heart's desires. Yet, at every opportunity when God reaches out to you, say yes and God remembers. He will not forsake you and will bring you back into the fold where you may never thirst again. You will again recognize the Shepherd's voice and feel safe in His leading.

(Photos show Sayaka at 4 and 7 months old and at 10 months old at a church camp in Johor in Oct 2011).