The Hebrew word for work and worship is the same – ‘avodah.’ When does work become worship? When it is done with the appropriate ‘kavanah’ (intent) and ‘shiflut’ (humility). And, when does worship become work? When it is done with a lack of proper intention and humility!
To the Jewish mind, work and worship are closely connected. Every act of ours, however menial, is one of worship according to our kavanah and shiflut. When we correctly understand this point, it becomes transformational! This is why the apostle Paul appeals to us to surrender our lives to God wholeheartedly and unconditionally as ‘living sacrifices:’
“Therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your spiritual worship.” (Romans 12:1)
So, worship is the living expression of who we are in Messiah Jesus, but it can be downgraded to hard labour immediately our focus is diverted away from Him. The most extreme example of this is the description of Lucifer’s downfall (Isaiah 14; Ezekiel 28) through rebellion; the lead cherub and worship leader in heaven who communed in the very presence of God, made a badly flawed choice, blinded by pride, and this led to irrevocable and unimaginable consequences. For aeons and aeons, he had served God faithfully, but his downfall occurred the moment he took his eyes off God and placed them upon himself. At that instant, the seed of corruption was ignited which paved the way to his ultimate and eternal doom.
There is a salutary lesson here for each one of us. We can also fall into pride and rebellion even in the midst of our ministry and service of God, unless our eyes are fixed on Him and we submit ourselves unto Him completely and unreservedly with the heart of the Psalmist who declared:
“Who do I have in heaven but You? And I desire nothing on earth but You. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart, my portion forever.” (Psalm 73; 25-26)
When you love somebody very much, you look in their eyes. You don’t look at their ears, only their eyes. With some people, when you look at their eyes, you see only the negative things that control their lives. With others, you see God’s presence and
breathe in the perfume of His glory!
I remember when I was working in China almost 20 years ago, I became a worship leader of a large international church in Beijing. I was excited for the opportunity to serve the Lord but soon became frustrated, because a lengthy period went by without being asked to lead. I just wanted to get on stage and minister full-on within the area of my anointing.
Then, one morning during my devotions, He spoke to me words shared with such love and tenderness, yet with a power that pierced my soul and broke my heart:
“I too long for your worship, not just the fragments that are diluted by the applause of others. That is why I am keeping you to Myself, an audience of one, so you cannot be distracted.”
I instantly knew that although I spoke the right words, and smiled the right smiles, deep inside of me I craved for recognition and praise from the lips of others above the approval of God. My life yielded wood hay and stubble because it was based on the wrong kind of ‘avodah.’
God takes the risk of exposing our motives because His love is so magnificent, He cannot bear to see our lives degenerating into mediocrity.
The biblical festivals have their foundations rooted in worship as a primary cause. Everything contained within them, from their historical significance, their present reality, to their prophetic unveiling, underline the heartbeat of God with His desire for a restored relationship. This is why they are relevant for the Church and part of its biblical heritage.
God longs for a people who seek Him above all else and cultivate a relationship of first love, made possible through the redemptive work of Messiah Jesus.
What is our life characterised by: true worship or hard labour? True worship is governed by the infinite; hard labour by the finite. I may strive to make millions of dollars, but it will not fulfil my longings: that is work. Yet, when God enfolds me in His arms of love, my life is irrevocably transformed and that moment of worship becomes an infinitely sweet memory!
