Reflection: the "trilogy" of Worship

In worship, we are like a vehicle that requires 3 main components in order to fulfill its function :

1. HEART – the vehicle chassis (engine, mechanical system & frame)
2. HANDS – the vehicle body (body panels covering the chassis, doors, glass, seats)
3. HOLY SPIRIT – fuel for the vehicle (petrol / diesel / other gases)

1. HEART
§ 1 John 4:8 “He who does not love, does not know God, for God is love.” (NKJV)
- Our heart, the centre of our emotions is where it begins ; the 1st touch from God that lead us to the altar; the 1st love that keeps us going & to which we must keep returning (Rev 2:4).

§ 1 John 4:19 “We love Him because He first loved us.” (NKJV)
- Thus, we worship as a response to God’s love.

§ As the vehicle chassis is made up of not only the engine, but includes the related mechanical system & frame, when we mention “worship”, we will spontaneously picture verbal responses like singing, shouting, proclaiming (“For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks” Matt 12:34b NKJV) & accompanying acts like raising of hands & dancing etc.
With the chassis built, let us now move on to assemble the vehicle body…

2. HANDS
§ John 14:15 “If you love me, show it by doing what I’ve told you.” (TM)

§ 1 John 4:20-21 “If someone says, “I love God,” but hates a Christian brother or sister, that person is a liar… And He has given us this command: Those who love God must also love their Christian brothers and sisters.” (NLT)
- Love must be confirmed by acts / works. How we conduct our daily lives, relate to & serve others (including ministry involvement) is a statement of our love / worship towards God. Worshipping God with only our hearts & not our hands is mere lip service & falsehood.

§ Eze 33:31 “So they come to you as people do, they sit before you as My people, and they hear your words, but they do not do them; for with their mouth they show much love, but their hearts pursue their own gain.” (NKJV)
Although we’ve now got the whole vehicle assembled & road-worthy, it still can’t function effectively without the energy source – the fuel…

3. HOLY SPIRIT
§ Luke 24:49 “And now I will send the Holy Spirit, just as my Father promised. But stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from heaven.” (NLT)
- Many genuinely love God with their hearts & hands but find it a struggle to live lives in accordance to God’s will & staleness in their personal devotions / times of “praise & worship” / ministries due to a lack of the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. It is equivalent to moving the vehicle by pushing it with our hands - without fuel.

§ 2 Samuel 5:19-20 “ So David inquired of the Lord… & he said, “The LORD has broken through my enemies before me, like a breakthrough of water.” “ (NKJV)
Surely we are utterly dependent on God from beginning to end - to ignite our hearts with revelations of God’s love, overflowing it to respond in action, & to bless, establish & prosper the works of our hands with His empowerment

WORSHIP = HEART + HANDS + HOLY SPIRIT

The Lord is El-Shaddai

It did cross my mind to share some thoughts about the wonderful El-Shaddai Conference immediately after it took place. I thought: "that will be easy! Everything's still so fresh in my mind." Then I felt that perhaps it might be more meaningful to write something only after the "dust has settled". And now that it's been some weeks after, I can accurately discribe the golden nuggets that's been left for me.

I've been listening to songs by Michael Card since the 1980s. When he featured as a key speaker in the conference however, this was the first time I encountered him in person. The thing that struck and stuck with me was his somewhat "contradictory behaviour" as an undoubtedly gifted & successful singer, musician cum song writer. Evidently warm, humble, simple in speech and presentation, he exhibited profound depth and devotion to God. Throughout the conference, he kept directing our focus to the Lord and His Word. During the 2 hour long concert, he encouraged the audience to "go back & read the Old Testament" at least four times, wetting our appetites to savor the flavours of the first 39
books in the bible with songs he wrote. Surely, we have been privileged to share and enjoy the fruit of the life of one who constantly "flees" to Jesus. Thank you, Michael !

Christ's always,
Averil