Reading
Deuteronomy 12:1-14 – You Shall Worship the LORD your God
Notes
(See Saturday for authors)
Worship matter, as we have been studying in the adult second hour class. In fact, worship is, as Cruse puts it, a supernatural event. Even more, Cruse says, worship is the most important thing you will ever do. Period.
So to say that worship matters is even a bit of an understatement. God is worthy of our worship. Our English word, worship, is a contraction of worth ship—that is the worth or value something or someone has.
In our text we find God warning against false worship—worshipping as the nations do—that Israel will encounter in the land of Canaan. Of course, warnings against false worship are built on the need for true worship. The previous chapter calls Israel to love the LORD their God and worship him with all their heart and all their soul (11:13).
God orders how, where, and when we are to worship him. In our text, the how and where are stressed. The how is given in negatives—do not worship God with idols; do not worship however seems right to everyone—and also in positives—worship with the offerings God has specified, and with joy. The where is specified as the place the LORD has chosen.
Although worship through Christ has done away with sacrificial offerings and a required location, we are still to worship God with all our heart and all our soul.
Questions
- How are we to worship God?
- Where are we to worship God?
- How are you doing at worshipping God with all of your being?
Praise
Psalm 22e, 1a
Prayer
- Ask the Lord to help you worship him with all of your being.
- Pray for the preparation for preaching God’s word this Sunday.
- Pray for a member of our church, for your family, and for a non-Christian friend/family member.