A Worship Which the Lord Chooses
Scripture Passage: Deuteronomy 12:8-14 (NASB)
8 “You shall not do at all what we are doing here today, every man doing whatever is right in his own eyes; 9 for you have not as yet come to the resting place and the inheritance which the Lord your God is giving you. 10 When you cross the Jordan and live in the land which the Lord your God is giving you to inherit, and He gives you rest from all your enemies around you so that you live in security, 11 then it shall come about that the place in which the Lord your God will choose for His name to dwell, there you shall bring all that I command you: your burnt offerings and your sacrifices, your tithes and the contribution of your hand, and all your choice votive offerings which you will vow to the Lord. 12 And you shall rejoice before the Lord your God, you and your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, and the Levite who is within your gates, since he has no portion or inheritance with you. 13 “Be careful that you do not offer your burnt offerings in every cultic place you see, 14 but in the place which the Lord chooses in one of your tribes, there you shall offer your burnt offerings, and there you shall do all that I command you.
SUMMARY
In today’s text, Moses told the Israelites that when they cross the Jordan, and live in the land that God is giving them to inherit (where there’s rest and security), they shall seek and worship the Lord at the place which the Lord, their God, will choose. In that place which God chooses, Israelites are to bring their burnt offerings, their sacrifices, their tithes, the contribution of their hand, their votive offering, their freewill offerings, and the firstborn of their herd and their flock. In that appointed place of worship, they shall rejoice before the Lord, with their children, their servants and the Levite.
MEDITATION & REFLECTION
During the period of wandering in the desert, the Israelites must have conducted their own worship as they pleased. Moses said “You shall not do at all what we are doing today, every man doing whatever is right in his own eyes” (v. 8). He called for a new worship as they were about to enter the Promised Land; to bring the offering, and seek God at a place which God Himself would choose. It almost sounds like God is setting His own terms of worship rather than people setting their own terms in what worship should be. God wanted His people to worship Him at His prescribed place, and among other worshippers of God. God is teaching me through today’s QT that worship is not an activity to “do as you please”, but a corporate praise and rejoicing in the Lord, coming together with reverence, as God dwells in that place. The place of worship is to be a place of glad giving, and joyful fellowship with God and with others. Real worship should be concerned with what pleases God, not what’s convenient and preferred by the worshippers.
APPLICATION
Today’s QT application question asks me, “Have you ever offered a flawed worship—worshipping in a way you want rather than what God wants?” Oh yes...I’ve done this many times, and I’m so guilty of this sin even more so lately. Ever since the quarantine, my attitude towards Sunday worship is becoming more casual and lacking reverence to the Lord. So often, I’m still in my pajamas turning on the live worship to “watch” the worship as if I’m watching a program on TV. I’m not fully engaged in, nor praising the way I did when I actually attended church service. I justified it by blaming the pandemic, but I think it was my sin of “do as you please” worship, just like Israelites did before they entered the land of Canaan. This must stop as today’s text starts with verse 8 saying, “You shall not do...”. I need to prepare my heart and my body to properly engage in worship to the Lord. I will get up 1 hour early so I can prayerfully come to worship with joy and expectation to encounter God.
PRAYER
Lord, at first when I was reading today’s text, I really wasn’t able to get what you were trying to tell me. But again, thank you for revealing and letting me reflect on what I was doing wrong in your eyes. I definitely compromised on the quality of worship to you, Lord. It lacked the honor You deserve. There was no joy nor pleasure with fellow worshippers (my kids), praising your name, but rather it has become a ritual—something that has to be done. Lord, although there’s nothing like corporate worship, let me be at that place you choose. The medium of worship is not important, but my heart is... Let me have a heart that will seek you at all times with all my heart. Lord I pray, “and you shall rejoice before the Lord, your God, you and your sons and daughters....” (v. 12) Bring the joy of worship to our house, Lord! Without anymore of the casual approach, but with full reverence of who You are, and how You should be worshiped through our love for You, Lord. In Jesus name I pray.
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