FAITH FRIDAY -- TRUE WORSHIP

My friends and I are currently studying about true worship on Friday mornings. They had chosen that title among several others, but have discovered this study is nothing like what they expected. Even so, they are very thankful to be studying this as they are getting a very different picture of what true worship is.

Here are some things we have looked at so far. First, we were given the example of Abraham when he took Isaac up to the mountain to worship, and where God had told him to sacrifice his only, much loved son. This is the son that God had promised him, and the son through whom all Abraham's descendants would come. And yet, Abraham was obedient, trusting God to fulfill His promises, and somehow resurrect Isaac. If you are familiar with the story, before Abraham kills his son as the sacrifice, a lamb appears and he sacrificed the lamb instead.

There are many pictures of Christ in this story, but what is learned about true worship is that there is a sacrifice, and obedience, a complete surrender to God.

Then we started looking at the tabernacle and all the furniture in the tabernacle and how it all represents Jesus and the heavenly tabernacle. The first thing we see is that there is only one way inside, and that is the gate or doorway. Jesus is the only way into God's presence.

The first thing we see is the bronze altar where the animals are sacrificed. So we see again, a sacrifice is needed for true worship. Next comes the laver filled with water. After the priest sacrificed the animal and sprinkled its blood on the altar, he must now wash himself. I am sure things got a little messy!

So it seems, in true worship for us today, a sacrifice is to be made, and then we need to be cleansed. We have Jesus the Lamb, who was sacrificed in our place, saving us, just as the lamb was sacrificed instead of Isaac and so Isaac was saved.
Then we are cleansed of our sins by Jesus' blood.

Is there something that we can sacrifice today? We don't need to sacrifice animals, but we are to put to death our old, sinful nature. We are to 'sacrifice' our selfish desires and worldly lusts of the flesh.

Just something to think about today.