David is first introduced to us in I Samuel 16:12, as he is brought before Samuel and anointed as king of Israel. In verses 14-23 of chapter 16 we see Saul being troubled by "an evil spirit". Someone advises Saul to find a person who can play the harp, someone who knows how to worship. David's reputation for worship proceeded him because another person said there is a boy, the son of Jesse, who plays the harp. So David played the harp for Saul and the evil spirit left Saul.
See, David did not merely play the harp for Saul. He worshiped God with the playing of his harp because he says in Psalms 34:1, "I will bless the Lord at all times...", which meant if he was watching his father's sheep, he was blessing the Lord. If he was killing a giant, he was blessing the Lord. If he was playing the harp for the king, he was blessing the Lord. In all that he did he blessed the Lord.
The word bless can be defined as "to honor in worship". David said in all I do I will honor God with my worship. The word worship as a noun means "the reverent love and devotion accorded to a deity; ardent devotion; adoration". As a verb it means to honor and love a deity; to regard with ardent or adoring esteem or devotion".
Last night I was at World Harvest Community Church in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where William McDowell (I Give Myself Away) shared something I have been feeling in my spirit for quite some time. Christians have forgotten how to worship. We have redefined what worship is and have given it a shallow meaning. McDowell said that we try to manipulate God with our worship, by saying God if I worship You then You must heal me, You must bless me, You must deliver me. That's not worship. He went on to say that we do not serve a cause and effect God - if I do this, then, God, You must to this. We can not make bargains with God. He doesn't need anything from us. If God heals you, it's because He's good. If He blesses you, it's because of His mercy, and not because of our worship.
Worship is more than a song. It's more than lifted hands. It's more than bended knees. It's about a bended spirit. It's a heart condition. Worship is innately embedded in us. It is a part of our DNA that lays dormant and needs to be activated by the inhabitation of the Holy Spirit in our bodies, God's temple. We were created to worship.
Our King sits on His throne, looking down on us, watching over us as the angles cry holy, holy, holy, recognizing His Deity and Majesty. As they cry holy, we should cry all hail King Jesus. He triumphantly entered into Jerusalem as it was proclaimed Hosanna. At His birth the Earth cried out in worship, and as the Earth recognizes that He is the object of its worship, our hearts, souls and flesh should recognize that He is the object of our worship.
Everything we do, everything that we are about, every breath we take, every beat of our hearts should be to bring praise and honor to our King. Our worship is not conditioned by our situations. Like David, we should bless the Lord at all times. I've been tested and I have been proven. It does not matter what is going on in my life, God is God. He is on the thrown so I must worship him. Not because of what He has done or what He will do, but because of who He is. King of kings. Lord of lords. Alpha and Omega. I am that I am. The one who created the Earth in six days, the one whose soul lives in me, the one who knows the vastness of the galaxies because He imagined it into existence. That's why I worship Him because He is my King and I just need to be in His presence, even if it is for the briefest of moments. The sons of Korah said in Psalm 84:10 better is one day in His presence than thousands else where.
As strongly as feel about the need for true, pure worship, is as strongly as I feel that today's Christian doesn't get it, but I hear God saying that He will elevate our worship to another level. He is putting a dissatisfaction in our hearts for anything other than Him. We will not be content with what we have been conditioned to accept as worship. He is looking for those who will worship Him in spirit and in truth and awaiting the birth of true worshipers. Those who will seek Him with all of their hearts. Those believers who understand what "giving themselves away" is all about and who truly will "surrender all". As sister Jody McCalla said last night, God is looking for those believers who will not come into the House of God to sing lies. If you say you give yourself away or you surrender all, God is expecting you to live out that truth. Those who really and truly want to sit at His feet and drink from the cup in His hand. Those who just want Him. Those who don't want to use Him because of what He can do for them or what He can give Him. Those who love God because He is God. True worshipers. Those believers who are after God's heart.
This is my testimony, my hearts cry, my anthem - "Here I am. Here I stand. My life is Your hands. Lord, I'm longing to see Your desire revealed in me. My life is not my own. To You I belong. I give myself, I give myself away."
Kendy Ward aka Rebirth of Truth
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