Worshiping by Falling Out Windows

Suggested Reading: Acts 20:7-12

When my wife and I were dating in college, I was part of the university's audition choir. Not long after we were engaged, I had to leave for a week on a choir tour. That week involved the first days where we had not actually seen each other since we had started dating and the separation seemed painful.  We would call each other each night when my concert was over and spend an hour on the phone (which I now realize meant a lot because my wife loathes talking on the phone). The night that I got back from the tour, we had missed each other so much that we spent the entire night talking. We kept intending to get to our respective homes to get some sleep but we didn't want to leave. We were both very tired the next day in class but we trudged through it. Spending that entire night talking was one of the highlights of my life.

Acts 20 contains a similar story. Paul had been in Troas for a week and planned on leaving the next day. Apparently, there was still much that Paul wanted to share with the believers there because his teaching lasted well into the night. As it grew dark, they lit lamps and Paul continued teaching until about midnight. "Seated in a window was a young man named Eutychus, who was sinking into a deep sleep as Paul talked on and on" (Acts 20:9, NIV). In his sleep, Eutychus fell out of the third-story window to the ground below where he died. Paul rushed downstairs, resurrected him, and they all went back upstairs and continued church until daybreak.

Can you imagine a time of church teaching lasting that long today? A time of teaching and worship that lasts through the entire night? I know some churches are different, but most of the churches where I have served would go bonkers if a service lasted two hours, much less went all-night long. Paul's service was so long they stopped to eat so they could keep going! They were so concerned about learning as much as they could, about spending as much time together with other believers as they could, that they spent the entire night together.

The next time you find yourself checking your watch in worship, ask yourself, what is so important? The next time you start wondering when you can sneak out of a church fellowship, take note of who you are with and figure out why you would rather be somewhere else. No church is perfect and no group is without flaws but the body of Christ is worth staying up all night.

Waiting on the Urim and the Thumim

Suggested Reading: Ezra 2:1,55-63, or Ezra 2:1-63

So, I was reading through one of those passages. You know, one of those passages where the entire chapter (or entire group of chapters) is a list of names. "So and so begat so and so" or "The leaders of the people were So On and So Forth and So Good and So Keep Going." The kind of passage where you are tempted to skip it and instead sit back and start moving through the list hoping something worthwhile jumps out at you but knowing you are likely to be too bored to see it if it does. Please tell me I'm not alone on those passages.

Anyway, the passage I was reading was from Ezra and it was an account of all of the Israelites that King Cyrus sent back from captivity so that they could rebuild the house of God. In this passage, the priests encounter an interesting problem. Some of the returning priests could not find documentation that they actually belonged to the family of priests, and so "The governor ordered them not to eat the most holy things until there was a priest who could consult the Urim and the Thumim." (Ezra 2:63 HCSB)

The Urim and the Thumim were a way that God had given the Israelites to ask God yes/no questions. They were, most likely, a pair of stones which were both black on one side and white on the other, and the priest would ask God the question and drop or toss the stones. If they both came up one color the answer was "yes," if they both came up the other color, the answer was "no," and if they came up mixed it was God's way of saying that He wasn't going to answer the question. We think. (Most of that is educated speculation). But the Urim and Thumim aren't really important in this passage.  What is important is that these priests had to wait to eat from the sacrificial food until God could be consulted to confirm their status as priests.

See, we live in a world where we never want to hurt anyone's feelings and we go out of our way to include everyone in everything. But God had set up the priesthood as something different, as something holy, as something that was supposed to be set apart. Not just anyone could be a priest. A priest could only be a Levite and he could only be a Levite from a particular lineage. For someone outside the tribe or outside that lineage to serve as a priest would invalidate and defile the sacrifices being brought. The people who returned to Jerusalem from their time in exile were not taking any chances that they could lose the blessing of God in their lives because of uncertainty about whether these people should actually be serving as priests. They wanted to make certain that their acts of worship were absolutely pure.

The ethic of these returning peoples stands in stark contrast to our worship ethic today. How often is our worship less than pure because we don't want to take the time to do things right? How often do we miss out on the blessing of God because we don't make sure that what we offer is what God actually wants from us? How often do we treat the worship of God as less than an act of pure and holy devotion because of our impatience? We skimp on prayer time because we could be off doing other things. We stop paying attention in church because the hands on the clock are ticking past noon. We skip over having a time of worship on Christmas day in order to gratify our desire to open presents as quickly as possible. We miss out on entire chapters during our quiet time because we are too busy thinking about all we have to do, and our eyes skim over the words of scripture without ever absorbing them.

Today, let's make sure that we take the worship of a holy God seriously enough to get things right. Let's not do things the wrong way just because we are afraid someone might be offended. Let's not rush through things we should pray through thoroughly just because it is more convenient. Like those returning to Jerusalem, let's do things the right way, no matter how inconvenient or how great the risk is to our feelings. 

There's Nothing Wrong With a Little Hero Worship

Suggested Reading: Psalm 135:13-21

There is an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation where the Enterprise stumbles upon a ship whose passengers are all dead except for a small boy. The Enterprise's android officer, Lieutenant Commander Data, discovers the boy and soon becomes the object of hero worship. The boy is so impressed with Data and so grateful that the android saved him that he begins to imitate Data. He begins to dress like him and comb his hair like him. When people ask the boy how he is doing, he responds by saying, "All systems are functioning within normal parameters." The boy's fascination with Data would almost be cute if it weren't a response to the boy's tragic loss of his family and friends aboard the doomed ship.

The idea of hero-worship has been around for a long time. Children, have always tried to imitate those people that they think are the bravest and smartest and "coolest." I remember when I was a kid dressing up like Batman and getting on a little banana seat bicycle and "patrolling" the neighborhood because that is what heroes were supposed to do. As we grow up, hero-worship takes on a little more serious dimension. We want to be like a particular leader or businessman and so we read their books and try to develop some of the habits that they have developed. We want to be as good at parenting as our parents (or some other worthy parental role-model) and so we try to do things the way they would have done them. One of the most natural things in the world is emulating someone we admire.

Psalm 135:15-18 reads, "The idols of the nations are silver and gold, made by the hands of men. They have mouths, but cannot speak, eyes, but they cannot see; they have ears, but cannot hear, nor is there breath in their mouths. Those who make them will be like them, and so will all who trust in them" (HCSB). These verses describe the very phenomenon we have already discussed, but from an angle we don't often consider: we become more and more like whatever we worship. The phenomenon is very similar to the idea that we become like the people that we hang out with, except it is amplified and often much more difficult to notice because the things we worship (the focus our primary attention and strength) are often not even living things.

Sometimes, we focus all of our time and attention on money and we soon become cold and hard, caring only about the bottom line and whether or not we can obtain something. Sometimes, we focus on leisure time and relaxation, and we soon become laid back, lazy and unmotivated by anything but enjoying ourselves. Sometimes, we focus on work and then nothing matters to us except being productive and avoiding distractions that could lower productivity, like family or spending time serving and loving people. Sometimes, we focus all of our attention on a particular person and we begin picking up that person's habits and we hear people who care about us worried that we are "losing ourselves."

Whatever we worship, whatever is the focus of our attention and devotion, will shape the people that we become. When God is the focus of our worship, we develop more and more the character of Christ. If our character is developing in other ways, chances are pretty good that we have set something else up as a god in our lives, possibly without even realizing it.

What habits have you seen develop in your life? How has your character evolved recently? Answering those questions will give you a good indication of where your heart is focused. If you don't like what you see, change your focus. Intentionally place your attention and devotion on the God who gave his Son to save you. Keep your mind focused on who God is and what God is doing in the world. The more hero-worship of God that we engage in, the more we become like Christ.

Christmas Hams and Farcical Worship

Suggested Reading: Mark 7:1-13

The story goes of a mom who was cooking a Christmas ham with her daughter. The daughter watched patiently as the mom prepared the ham and as she chopped off the front of the ham before putting it in the baking pan and placing it in the oven. The little girl asked her mom why she chopped off the front of the ham and mom admitted she wasn't sure but that grandma had always done that when she was a little girl. So mom called grandma to ask why you were supposed to chop off the front of the ham. Upon hearing the question grandma cracked up laughing and explained, "I chopped off the front of the ham because my baking pan was too small for the whole ham!" Mom had mistaken the way her mother did things for the way things had to be done.

In Mark chapter 7, we find another group of people who had gotten things a little mixed up. A group of scribes and Pharisees came down to see Jesus to examine him and determine whether or not they should support him. Their initial criticism of Jesus, however, had nothing to do with his teachings being wrong or with accusations that he was mistreating the poor or neglecting the widow or fatherless child. Their initial criticism was a question of why Jesus' disciples didn't follow the traditions of the elders and wash their hands before eating!

Now, I think we can all agree that washing your hands is a good thing to do but Jesus replied, “You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you, for he wrote, ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship is a farce, for they teach man-made ideas as commands from God' (Mark 7:6-7, NLT). While washing one's hands is certainly a good thing to do, there is no command in scripture to wash your hands before you eat. That was a human idea - a good one to be sure, but still human - and these people were judging Jesus' disciples on it as if it were a command of God.

As followers of Jesus, we must make an effort to distinguish between our own ideas and those that come from scripture. Ideas like "drinking is a sin," or "God helps those who help themselves" are ideas that may have logical human reasons behind them but they can't be found anywhere in scripture and may in fact be contrary to scripture. We must have enough respect for God's Word to actually know God's Word -- to understand the difference between what it does say and what it doesn't say. When we start confusing the two and teaching or practicing our own ideas as God's word, our worship becomes a farce.

And Now, a Special Musical Episode of Your Life

Suggested Reading: Ephesians 5:8-20

I have always thought that those "special musical" episodes of television shows were just corny. The one exception was an episode of The Flash titled, "Duet," which featured a crossover with Supergirl.  Our heroes, trapped in a imaginary musical, had to follow the plot to completion with a good deal of singing along the way. Then, once everyone was safe and back to normal, we got to see the Flash's secret identity, Barry, sing a romantic proposal to his girlfriend, Iris. It was, somehow, one of the least corny musical episodes of a television show that I have seen in a while.

That special musical episode of The Flash reminds us that, in some ways, we are to have our own special musical episodes in real life.  Ephesians 5:19 reads, "Speak to one another in psalms, hymns and spiritual songs."  As I read the verse, I pictured myself walking up to my wife and singing a conversation to her (not too hard to picture considering that I am weird enough to actually do this on occasion). Then I pictured her singing right back to me and I couldn't help but laugh, thinking not only how funny that would be but how much fun it would be.

Music involves more than just lyrics and melodies, it involves emotions and the analytical portions of our brains without any effort whatsoever. And our favorite songs, the ones we remember and can sing along with (or sing in the shower) are the ones whose words mean something to us, that connect with us.  The words of our favorite hymns and praise songs are those that have either revealed something of the nature of God to us or affirmed our own feelings towards God. They are the kinds of songs that leave us thinking and get stuck in the back of our minds throughout the week, and Paul encourages us to speak to one another with them.

Speak to one another with the truths that have affected and encouraged you. Speak to one another with  lyrics that have caused you to meditate on Christ and God's Word. Allow music to well up in your hearts and carry you throughout the day, and pass that music along. Make music to the Lord from your heart and worship God even as you move from task to task at work or in school. Allow the lyrics you sing to connect you in spirit with the countless others who have sung the same songs through the years and across the world. 

Sing to the LORD a new song;

   sing to the LORD, all the earth.

Sing to the LORD, praise his name;

    proclaim his salvation day after day. 

Declare his glory among the nations,

   his marvelous deeds among all peoples. 

For great is the LORD and most worthy of praise…

(Psalm 96:1-4, NIV)

Hannah Montana Preachers

Suggested Reading: Ezekiel 33:23-33

One of the drawbacks of having a young daughter is that you watch far more Disney programming than you would like. Every now and then, though, you do find something valuable. In the Hannah Montana movie from a few years ago, the action gets started with the pop star in a fight with Tyra Banks over a pair of shoes. Naturally there are photographs that end up on the front pages of all the papers. While the young girl's father is mortified at his daughter's behavior, her agent thinks the publicity is great. Her father wants her to behave like a lady and be a role model. Her agent just wants her to be famous.

Hannah Montana's agent probably would have been thrilled with the way people responded to Ezekiel. In Ezekiel 33:30-32 the Lord tells the prophet, “Now, son of man, your people are talking about you near the city walls and in the doorways of their houses. One person speaks to another, each saying to his brother, ‘Come and hear what the message is that comes from the Lord! ’ So My people come to you in crowds, sit in front of you, and hear your words, but they don’t obey them. Although they express love with their mouths, their hearts pursue dishonest profit. Yes, to them you are like a singer of love songs who has a beautiful voice and plays skillfully on an instrument. They hear your words, but they don’t obey them."

Ezekiel had what a lot of people, maybe even a lot of preachers, want today. Ezekiel was famous. People talked about him, scheduled times to go and listen to him, and talked about how wonderful he was. But for most of them,  the prophet was just a form of entertainment. God was more concerned with the people's obedience to Ezekiel than their adoration of him.

Unfortunately, many people today treat times of worship and preaching as entertainment rather than as something that is supposed to change us. Church services and times of worship were never supposed to be entertainment, switching from one venue to the next because the music was better or the speaker more charismatic; nor were preachers supposed to be celebrities. Times of worship are supposed to change us, to cause us to evaluate our attitudes and behaviors and equip us to live more Christ-like lives. Preachers are supposed to be people who speak the unpopular truths that we need to hear so that we can make those changes.

Why do you go to church or even listen to Christian music? Is it just to be entertained or to find the tools to live more like Christ? If you are a minister, do you make decisions based on what will bring you more listeners or do you speak the unpopular truths that need to be heard? Times of worship are far too valuable to be reduced to entertainment.

Worshipping Like You Marry

Suggested Reading: 1 Kings 9:1-9

In 1 Kings 9, Solomon had an encounter with God. Solomon had just completed the construction of the temple complex and dedicated the temple in a display of majestic splendor and overwhelming opulence. Thousands and thousands of animals were sacrificed in worship. The presence of the Lord came down so powerfully that the priests were unable to minister and perform their tasks. The day was a day of triumph and victory as God's promises to David had been fulfilled and the people were able to bask in the palpable presence of God.

When all of the celebrations and festivities were done, God appeared to Solomon by himself. God acknowledged the prayers that had been prayed in dedication of the temple and then God gave Solomon a warning: "If you go and worship other gods, then I will uproot the people of Israel from this land I have given them. I will reject this temple that I have set apart to honor my name" (1 Kings 9:6-7, NLT).

By all accounts, Solomon heeded God's warning for years. He did some things that were probably unwise for the wisest man in history (like marry 700 women and have three hundred concubines) but he heeded God's warning. For a while. But when Solomon was old, and when he reaped the consequences of loving so many women, he apparently decided that worshipping more than one God was not any more dangerous than having more than one wife, and his wives led him to worship other gods. Solomon,  at the height of his wealth and splendor, after he had accomplished spectacular feats, forgot the warning God had given him.

How often do we forget the warnings we have been given when things seem to be going well for us? How often do we decide that we are smart enough, or stable enough, or cautious enough, or just good enough that this particular rule really shouldn't apply to us? How often do we decide that we have been good enough for so long that we deserve to do what we want, even if it is wrong? About as often as we forget that there will be consequences for our actions and that God's warnings are for our good.

What warnings have you been ignoring lately? What rules have you decided shouldn't really apply to you? You might want to take a little time to think about the potential consequences and remember that God's commands are for our own good. You might save yourself a lot of trouble down the road.

Remembering a Tragic Attack

Suggested Reading: Job 1:13-22

Today is the anniversary of 9/11, the day tragedy struck our country because an enemy wanted to make a point, killing more than 3,000 people and bringing down four different planes in three different places in order to do so. A lot could be said of our reaction as a country to the events of that day. Some people would argue that we responded well that day, coming together and unifying, but that we later splintered apart again. Some would argue that we responded poorly to that day, focusing on security at the cost of freedom. In some ways that day brought out both the best and the worst in us, as we became a people that proved we run toward those in need in order to save them and that we are a people who respond with anger and sometimes let it carry us away. But what is the proper way to respond to enormous tragedy like what happened on 9/11? I think we would do well to learn from the example of Job.

If you remember the story, Satan had wanted to make a point to God. So God let Satan try. Satan used Job's life as his illustration. In one day, Satan struck and killed Job's children, destroyed his livelihood, ripped away his wealth, and then took his health as well. In one day, Job lost everything and everyone he cared about. The only things he got to keep were his life itself and a nagging wife, who urged him to just curse God and die. But how did Job respond? "Job stood up, tore his robe, and shaved his head. He fell to the ground and worshiped, saying: 'Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will leave this life. The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away. Praise the name of Yahweh.' Throughout all this Job did not sin or blame God for anything" (Job 1:20-22, HCSB).

Job mourned. He shaved his head and tore his robe. But in the middle of his grief, he also directed his attention to God. He fell to the ground and worshiped, remembering that whatever tragedy befell him, that God was still in control. And then he refused to do anything rash such as blame God. Job refused to allow the tragedy he had endured to change his world. He chose to believe that God was still in control and he chose to continue worshiping the God who had blessed him so much up until that terrible day.

Job understood that the world we live in includes tragedy and sorrow. And Job lived consistently, whether he was in the middle of a time of extended blessing or in the midst of unfolding tragedy. One of the reasons God brought Satan's attention to Job was that God knew who Job was, that Job was a man of consistent faith and integrity, whether things were going well or he was experiencing extreme hardship. God knew that Job would not allow tragic circumstances to change his perception of reality or his character.

As we remember the tragedy that struck on 9/11, and as we continue to face tragedy in this fallen world, how will we react? Will we choose to be consistent, God-seeking people who worship in the midst of suffering or will we allow ourselves to be irrevocably altered? Will we continue to live like we trust God or will we react in fear and anger? Will we remember that the world hasn't really changed, that tragedy is striking us just like it has always struck people in this sinful, fallen world?

Nothing has really changed. God is still God. We still live in a sinful world where God is constantly working to bring us back to Himself. When tragedy strikes, let us mourn. But let us also choose to live consistent lives of integrity and worship regardless of the tragedy we have faced.