Daily Devotion: The Word Revealed - Worship Involves the Worshiper Totally: Our Wills and Our Possessions - Psalm 32 & 143, 2 Corinthians 9:6-8

Proper worship of God is worship that involves the worshiper totally.  When we worship the God of our salvation with our all, we see the greatest benefit and blessing in our love relationship with our Lord.  Worship which involves the worshiper totally is composed of worshiping our Lord with our Mind, Heart, Will, Possessions, and Bodies.  Today we ponder worshiping God through our will and with all of our possessions.

Worship through the Will

Our will should be involved in every time of worship.  Our will is involved when we have confidence in all that God has done for us and all that He promises to do in the future.  Our will, as well, is the source of confession of sin.  Our will is convicted through the Word and the Spirit and then our wills humbly express that sorrow for sin.  This sorrow for sin and confession of sin, leads us in the path of repentance.  Repentance is a sure sign of our will striving to be one with God’s will.  Psalm 32: 3-5, “When I kept silent, my bones grew old through my groaning all the day long. For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; My vitality was turned into the drought of summer.  I acknowledged my sin to You, And my iniquity I have not hidden.  I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,” And You forgave the iniquity of my sin.” 

Furthermore, our will is involved in worship when we commit ourselves to God, His will, His ways, His love, His glory. Psalm 143:10 “Teach me to do Your will, For You are my God; Your Spirit is good. Lead me in the land of uprightness.”

Our wills should be affected for God’s glory every time we worship.  We should always be convicted of sin and convinced of His grace.  Convicted of sin and convinced of His grace always go hand in hand.  Both honor God because they show our wills are correctly sensitive to His will.  Both lead us along the exciting path of falling more deeply in love with the one to whom we are totally committed.

Worship with all our Possessions.

Not just tithes belong to God, everything belongs to God.  The giving of tithes, love gifts, and offerings is a tangible recognition that God does own it all.  Joyful giving is a sure sign of loving God.  The book of Exodus teaches to bring the first fruits.  This communicates the need to put God first in our financial life.  The New Testament teaches again and again that we are to be willing and cheerful givers. 2 Corinthians 9:6-8, “But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.” Our love relationship with God grows as we cheerfully give to His honor and glory. 

Pause & Ponder: Think about the best gift you ever gave someone you love.  Why did you give the gift?  How did it make you feel to give this gift of love?  What was the recipient’s response to you for the gift?  Compare and contrast how you feel concerning your giving to God and the gift you gave to your loved one.  Every gift to God should be an emotional and spiritual experience of love.