The Priority of Worship
I think it is safe to say that none of us have ever been through anything as traumatic and life changing as what Noah went through the year he was on the Ark with his family and all of the animals. Yes, I know 2020 was "unprecedented" at least for our generation, and it was life changing, but it was not the same as everyone on earth dying except 8 people, and having to start over. However, I think our present situation is like Noah's in that now that 2020 is over, what will we have as our priorities based on what we have been through this past year? This decision will determine a lot about our lives in 2021. Noah decided to build an altar to the Lord and worshiped Him with burnt offerings using the clean animals and birds from the ark.(Genesis 8:20) I believe he made the right choice of what to do first, and it shows us his heart. Let me explain why I believe that.
When we go through difficult times, our pain and suffering help us, if we realize and admit that we can't live life as we should in our own power. We are truly dependent on God or things fall apart pretty badly. When we have this realization, our response should be to worship God as our first priority as Noah did. We don't have to build and altar these days, but we have to have places to worship. We need a place to worship by ourselves in our home each day as we meet with the Lord. We need a place to gather as a family to worship the Lord, if we are raising children. Finally, we need a church family with whom we gather to worship God corporately each week.(Hebrews 10:25) Our sacrifices today are the fruit of our lips in praise and thanksgiving to the Lord.(Hebrews 13:15) Our worship revolves around reading and growing in the Word of God.(Matthew 4:4) Finally, worship is all we do, because we are to do everything for His glory and to extend His kingdom. (I Corinthians 10:31) I can pretty much guarantee that if we will do this, we will see the blessings of putting worship as our top priority in 2021.
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Tomorrow, I intend to read Genesis 9-11.