Worship: The Gift Or The Giver

Many Christians live with roller coaster emotions. They go from mountain top experiences to the valley of despair on a regular basis. When God moves the way they want Him to they rejoice and celebrate. When the Lord does not answer the prayer or pour out the desired blessing wanted many pout, get depressed, and sulk.

So life goes. People go from euphoria when God blesses, provides, heals, directs, and protects. When the blessing does not come, the provision is withheld, health worsens, guidance is withheld, and harm comes we no longer worship. This was the pattern for Israel when they left Egypt. They faced a trial. They complained. God intervened. They rejoiced. They faced another trial. They complained again. And the cycle repeated.

This leads me to the primary focus in this writing. Do we really worship the gift or the Giver of the gift? If we worship Jehovah is He not worthy of that worship no matter how He chooses to work in our lives. Even if He does not do it the way we want is He still not worthy of worship.

Do we get more excited about His gifts than we do about Him who gives the gifts. May this not be. The Bible is filled with stories of people who still worshipped God even though they faced heartaches, trials, and persecutions. When God delivered them or gave them peace it was often short lived followed by more trials. They still worshipped the one true God.

Contrast that with people who get so excited about God's work and gifts. They testify. They praise. They celebrate. They react the opposite when God in His sovereign will chooses to work differently than expected. The gift should never be enjoyed or estimated greater value than He who gave the gift.

Not one person reading this can say God always has worked or answered your every prayer the way you wanted. We have faced disappointments in our journey with the Lord. So what do we do then. How do we respond when the cancer comes, the radiation and chemotherapy do not work. What do we do when the loved one dies we prayed to be healed for so long. What do we do when the finances do not cover all the necessary expenses. Do we worship then. Or do we wait for the Lord's next gift to  before we worship. Does have to keep proving Himself over and over again to get our worship

May we live out our days getting more excited about our Creator than about the gifts He gives. May we celebrate when He works giving us our desires as well as when the outcome is less than desirable. That is what He deserves and what He demands. Let us worship the Giver of the gifts more than the gifts.