TEARFUL DEVOTION

This is the third devotion in our series written for Worship Camp 2008 in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. This was written by Jacob Tilton, Worship Director at Fort Worth Presbyterian Church.

by Jacob Tilton

Luke 7:36 “One of the Pharisees asked him to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee’s house and took as reclining at table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of ointment, and standing behind him at his feet, weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears and wiped them with the hair of her head and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment.”

The religious authorities of the day had organized a very special dinner and invited the popular new teacher to join them. Perhaps they are interested in wooing him into helping them with their political aspirations. A woman with a known reputation learns of where Jesus will be eating that evening. She desires to see Jesus and show her love and thankfulness to him as the only forgiver of sins, even if that means going to a dinner uninvited.

The woman was willing to break certain social rules and defy “proper” expectations in order to show her devotion and love to Jesus. She may have been looked down upon even more following this display of love. However, she was more concerned about honoring, loving and blessing her Lord than she was with following the expectations put upon her by the society and culture around her.

Am I willing to be a social outcast and suffer verbal abuse so that I may love and worship my Savior who alone has forgiven my sins? Do I desire to worship and fellowship with Him more than anything, including being well-thought of by others? May God give us hearts that love and fear Him more than we love and fear the approval of men.

PRAYER: Lord, my own tears anoint your feet in worship. May I humble myself daily to recognize that you are my forgiveness, and in you I find true meaning. Amen.

© 2008 Jacob Tilton/Anchored Music Ministries, Inc. All Rights Reserved. International Copyright Secured. No reproduction without written permission.

Christ-Centered Worship

This is the second devotional in our series written for Worship Camp 2008, Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. This was written by the Worship Director of my church, Chesterfield Presbyterian Church, who is teaching keyboards at the camp this week.

by Ryan McMillen

"As you come to him, the living Stone-rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him- you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ." 1 Peter 2:4-5

Have you ever come to worship discouraged? Have you come reluctant because your life does not reflect the way of life God calls us to in his word? Perhaps you feel that you have nothing to offer to God in worship, or wonder if it even makes a difference whether or not you worship him. Because we fail to live the holy life that God requires, it's easy to think we should avoid meeting with him, singing, praying, and reading his word. But the Bible tells us that it is what God does in these times of worship that matters most.

When we come to worship, God is at work building us up into the people he wants us to be. He is using our worship to work in us, helping us grow and become more holy. In the hymn "Rock of Ages" the writer recognizes "nothing in my hands I bring, simply to Thy cross I cling." When we humbly acknowledge our dependence on Jesus, we experience the blessing of fellowship with him in worship. And it is through Jesus that our times of worship glorify God. When our sin makes us feel like hiding or running from God, it is then that he invites us to come to him. As we keep Christ at the center of our worship, he builds us up and gives us strength to live a life of worship that glorifies Him.

PRAYER: Father, thank you for inviting us into your presence. When we see your holiness, we are humbled. Thank you Jesus for calling us your friends. And thank you, Holy Spirit, for encouraging us, and for working in us through our times of worship together. Amen.

© 2008 Ryan McMillen/Anchored Music Ministries, Inc. All Rights Reserved. International Copyright Secured. No reproduction without written permission.

HUMBLY READY

This is the first in a series of devotions written for Worship Camp 2008, Ciudad Juarez, Mexico by myself and our team.

by Bryan Thomas Schmidt, M.A.

Isaiah 6:6-7 Then one of the seraphs flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. With it he touched my mouth and said, "See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for."

Isaiah never felt worthy. When the Lord came to Him, he bowed down, and cried out: “Woe is me, for I am a man of unclean lips, and I have seen the Lord!” He expected ruin, but instead found forgiveness. In fact, the Lord chose him to go and speak for Him to His people.

How often do we truly humble ourselves before the Lord? How often do we fail to acknowledge the weight of our sinfulness in church on Sunday or throughout the week? We pray, asking for what we want. We take communion, celebrating our salvation and eternal life. But we forget it came at a great price – a sacrifice beyond compare, when Jesus gave His life on the cross for us.

If a great man like Isaiah bowed before God at the weight of His sin, how much more should we humbly seek forgiveness and celebrate that Jesus died for us. We are forgiven. We are renewed. Hallelujah! And when He calls us, we should be ready to go tell the whole world!

PRAYER: Lord, forgive our stubborn hearts. Help us to be ready to answer when you call. Amen.

© 2008 Bryan Thomas Schmidt/Anchored Music Ministries, Inc. All Rights Reserved. International Copyright Secured. No reproduction without written permission.