Let’s look today at the second path of A Spirit Led Life……

A life that looks worshipfully upward.

Phew! This one is a lot more fun than the last one- I can hear a collective sigh of relief as we move forward…….

A life of worship- what does that look like?

If we live our lives being wholly and solely devoted to God, then everything that we do becomes an opportunity to worship Him. The apostle Paul writes in the letter to the Romans “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God-this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world but, be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is-his good, pleasing and perfect will.” (12:1-2)

We say this in the liturgy before we give our offerings to the Lord. I suspect that many of us think that the offering part of the service is where we give our tithe. But the tithe should be the easy part. Listen again to Paul’s words….. “offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God-this is your spiritual act of worship.”

To view our bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God. What does Paul mean when he says this?? He means that the Christian life is a life of worship. God has created us to worship Him. There are many ways to worship. What we do in church on Sunday is worship but how do we worship God Monday through Saturday?? Do we have to go to church to worship God?? How do we worship Him in our everyday life??

Did you know that working in your garden can be a form of worship? Or cooking a meal for your family? Or having a conversation with a lonely person? Cleaning your home? Fixing your car? Taking your kids to soccer practice? Bathing your children? Reading them a story? Even completing that extra project that your boss has assigned to you can become an act of worship.

How do we turn these everyday acts into worship? By offering them to the glory of God. For example, as you are in your garden you could be in prayer to God giving Him thanks for His beautiful creation. For the soil of the earth; for the rain that helps the plants to grow; for the sunlight that helps them to make their own food; did you ever stop to think about how amazing photosynthesis is??? God created plants to be able to make their own food!! WOW!!! As we begin to “practice the presence of God” (in the words of Brother Lawrence) we will begin to see Him in a new and very powerful way.

Paul tells us in his letter to the Colossians- “And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”(3:17)

Allowing God to enter into every aspect of our lives is something that will, as Paul says, “transform us by the renewing of our minds”. How do you feel about being transformed? Does that sound radical?? Scary?? Exciting?? Impossible??

Tomorrow morning I have to get up extra early and drive in busy, busy traffic to see my cardiologist for a follow-up appointment to check my blood pressure and heart rhythm. The idea of offering that up to the glory of God is a bit daunting. I hate rush hour traffic. I do not enjoy medical appointments. I do not like getting up extra early in the morning……..
BUT- I am going to pray to the Holy Spirit to help me offer this experience up to God with a joyful heart. I will sing worship songs in my car. I will think about how thankful I am that I have a good, hardworking husband who has a job that provides great health insurance that allows me to see this very good cardiologist for a mere $15.00 co-pay. I will be thankful for a reliable car that gets me where I need to go.

I know that I have no prayer of doing this in my own power- and knowing that alone is an act of worship.

“Glory to God, whose power, working in us can do infinitely more than we can ask or imagine.”
Praise Jesus!