Be Like Jesus?

The Lord God has given me the tongue of those who are taught, that I may know how to sustain with a word him who is weary. Morning by morning he awakens; he awakens my ear to hear as those who are taught. The Lord God has opened my ear, and I was not rebellious; I turned not backward. I gave my back to those who strike, and my cheeks to those who pull out the beard; I hid not my face from disgrace and spitting. But the Lord God helps me; therefore I have not been disgraced; therefore I have set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame. He who vindicates me is near. Who will contend with me? Let us stand up together. Who is my adversary? Let him come near to me. Behold, the Lord God helps me; who will declare me guilty? Behold, all of them will wear out like a garment; the moth will eat them up. Who among you fears the Lord and obeys the voice of his servant? Let him who walks in darkness and has no light trust in the name of the Lord and rely on his God. (Isaiah 50:4–10)

While the prophet may have experienced what he describes, many of these words describe events in the life of the Lord Jesus Christ. They also describe His attitude.

I’ve been thinking much about what it means to be like Jesus. The first thing is that Jesus came to us fully human and lived relying on the power of the Holy Spirit just as we are supposed to live. He did it perfectly…

So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. (Philippians 2:1–8)

This servant heart included the humility to be taught. So Jesus said to them, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own authority, but speak just as the Father taught me.” (John 8:28)

I’m awed by this. God the Son didn’t consider Himself a know-it-all or even having any authority to speak unless the Father gave Him something to say. Because this is true, who am I to think I can blurt out whatever comes to mind? Being like Jesus means listening to the voice of the One who created me and it certainly means yielding all my thoughts and ideas to  Him. It also means total obedience.

Jesus, You know my heart. I can be selfish, wanting to do my stuff rather than listen and obey. Thinking this way seems impossible. Even as a redeemed person who wants to be like Jesus, I know that I cannot do it or even choose it apart from You and the power of the Holy Spirit.

Worship: where and how?

The New Testament reminds readers that God gave commandments for worship and a location where worship should take place:

“Now even the first covenant had regulations for worship and an earthly place of holiness.” (Hebrews 9:1)

In the Old Testament, the place of worship was Zion, the mountain of God:

“Exalt the Lord our God, and worship at his holy mountain; for the Lord our God is holy!” (Psalm 99:9)

From this and perhaps from the human tendency to want rules and ritual, we have buildings and call them our place of worship. The problem is that it the ease of sliding into a Sunday-only routine in which worship happens on the first day of the week and in the local church. For many, this place and time are precious, yet even the OT defined worship in ways that go beyond a place and a day.

“Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; bring an offering and come before him! Worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness.” (1 Chronicles 16:29)

Worship is about giving God the glory due Him. Certainly He demonstrates His goodness and power every day of the week and in all places. It seems that worship should be the same.

Worship is also about bringing an offering. In the OT God defined a sacrificial system yet it pointed to the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ. When we worship, our offering is not a lamb or grain or anything we can produce; it is the offering God made to us. His Son shed His blood for our redemption. When I worship God, the salvation of Jesus Christ for my sin is a large part of why I bow before Him.

“Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness.” (Psalm 29:2)

Having tried to list all the wonders of God and the glory due His name, I run out of paper and ink. The world and all that is in it; the way things work; the amazing creation including the heavenly bodies and human bodies; beauty and color; the weather; and most of all the wonder of His visit to this planet to bring redemption to sinners. The glory due His name has no end and for these I worship.

“Worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness; tremble before him, all the earth!” (Psalm 96:9)

Worship is also about attitude, about my standing before Him. He is holy but because of Jesus and the power of the Word of God, I am also set apart for Him, made holy by His blood. It is not about ritual but a way of being and in that way of being I can worship Him. And because I know what I am without Jesus, I worship with awe and trembling. I know that I cannot deserve this privilege, this awesome opportunity and experience of worshiping Almighty God.

^^^^^^^^^^^^

Lord Jesus, what more can I say? You are entirely worthy of every good thought, every praise, every thankful expression I can muster. Fill me today with worship — and I know it is Tuesday and I know I am in a condo basement and not at Your holy mountain, but I also know that I can worship You all the time and wherever I am.

God is in the details . . .

Years ago, my mother was suffering from a physical problem. After she said the doctor had no solutions for her, I suggested that she pray about it. She replied, “No. This is a physical thing, not a spiritual thing.”

That shocked me. In my mind, God cares about every detail in our lives. He knows the number of the hairs on our heads. He cares for the sparrows. Salvation brings us into a personal relationship with Him, one that gives us access to His throne, and the blessing of calling Him Abba, Father. Jesus healed many from their ailments. Why not ask Him about our own? If He does not heal us, He could reveal His purpose for the sickness.

Chambers devotional for the day is obviously edited from a longer piece that has more clarity. However, he reminds me of what my mom said by suggesting to not ask for anything apart from seeking God; if I ask for anything from life, I’m asking in error. I’m not sure what he means other than God is my first priority and I’m not to use prayer like a genie in a bottle, even though Jesus said . . .

“And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” (Luke 11:9)

Chambers puts emphasis on seeking, being thirsty, knocking, being whole-hearted about wanting God, not what God might give me for this life. He wants me to know I am a beggar who pleads God for mercy. I have no right at all to ask for anything else. His words sounded like I cannot ask for food on the table, a decent job, wisdom in my relationships, healing for sickness, and certainly not for parking places and the ability to find a bargain, or be like a woman I know who prays about everything, including grace to help her choose the right outfit to wear each day.

This attitude of ‘not praying about what we can do’ is fairly common. I’ve been told that to ask God for things like that is silly. He gave us brains and we are supposed to use them, not bother Him about the trivia of life.

Chambers didn’t say that. What I think he says (and I thought about this all day) is in these words of Jesus . . .

 “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things (food, drink, clothes) will be added to you.” (Matthew 6:33)

I am to put first things first. When I do that, because God cares about everything needed, He will make sure I shall not want. Living for Him means godliness and also struggles, but He does not withhold basic necessities. He wants me to trust Him for everything, and when I have His glory in mind, then asking for anything seems biblical, not always selfishly praying.

But this topic made me consider how much of my praying is selfish. I want this or that because it will benefit me in some way, or at least make me more comfortable. How often my motivation is not the glory of God but the glory of me.

I don’t know if my mother thought that asking God to help her with illness was selfish. More likely she had somehow compartmentalized her life and left God out of parts of it. If I’m honest, I’m also guilty of that. Do I rely on Him only when hungry, thirsty, feeling needy? Or do I rely on Him for all things, like my daily bread as well as forgiveness for sin and the ability to do as He asks of me?

It seems to me that this discussion is not about what I ask for, but the reasons why I’m asking. The Westminster Confession says the chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. Yet if my chief end is much less pious, and I just want to get through a problem, it seems to me I can still ask. I sometimes really have no clue what will glorify Him. Will it be an answer to my self-focused prayer? Or will it be the discovery that I can go on in faith without having the prayer answered?

God knows. He invites me to ask about anything and everything — and whether He says YES, NOT NOW, or NO, to simply trust Him with the answers.

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Personal Note: ‘Normal’ is slower to show up than I’d hoped. Every action seemed to be in slow motion with threats of falling over. A couple times I wanted the Lord to return and take me home. Instead, I asked Him what He wanted me to do. Shortly a neighbor dropped over and told me to quit trying to do the usual, get more rest, and get my energy back. God speaks in unexpected ways!