july 5, 2010
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Worship? As Well We Should...
Psalm 66:1-4
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This past Sunday, my youngest daughter accompanied me to my office. She normally does not wake up early enough on Sundays to leave with me, but she put in the extra effort to
ride in the new truck I just purchased. I simply appreciated that we were getting a little extra time together.
While I touched up the introduction and conclusion of my message, she asked if I had any paper she could borrow. I directed her to a ream of standard copier paper. While I
tuned my electric guitar and ran through the hymns and Praise & Worship selections she asked for a “highlighter, a stapler, and that hole-punchy thingy.” This piqued my
curiosity, so I leaned well over the front of my desk to see what she was working on. I saw a jumbled mess on the floor. She caught me peeking out of the corner of her eye and
immediately “posted up” to keep me from seeing her project.
After I finished finalizing the sermon’s presentation and my diagram on the Plexiglas board, I strolled into my office. As I sat down and gave my notes the final run-through,
Katrina stepped forward to make her bold presentation. “Daddy, this is for you!” she piped as she handed me her “sculpture.”
I looked at what appeared to be a single wing from a very small aircraft. She had folded several sheets over, stapled the ends closed, and stapled them together in succession.
At random points there were holes punched in them. It was universally decorated with arrows (a symbol she just learned to draw) and a dozen “Daddy, I love you’s.”
As I accepted the sculpture a dozen thoughts ran through my head. Being an artist I analyzed it for its aesthetic beauty and discovered there was not much to be found. In fact,
the sculpture was downright gaudy. I raised my head to address my 6 year-old and caught a glimpse of those beautiful, blue eyes. “Do you like it?” she asked.
“I love it. It’s the most wonderful thing anyone has ever made for me.” I replied. We hugged, and like the little woman she is, she found a prominent place to display this
“sculpture” in my office.
The following day as I was driving a truckload of four sleeping females to San Antonio, Texas, God spoke boldly to my heart through my previous interaction with my daughter. He
said, “You know, you are like Katrina.” I thought to myself, “In what way Lord?”
“Well, I am your Daddy and you are my son.” So far I was following along, and nodded as if he set beside me. “Do you remember that ‘sculpture’ she made for you?” I did. “In a
certain sense, it wasn’t very beautiful, not at all, but in another sense it was immeasurably beautiful. She made that. She created it. It was an idea born in her head, and its
only purpose was to please you, communicate her love for you, and to share her heart with you.” I said nothing. There is a time to talk and a time to listen, fortunately I had
the wisdom to choose the latter. “She worships you. As well she should, you are her Daddy.”
God did not explain any further, He knew I would connect the dots. When I sing, play my guitar, preach, or draw Him a picture with chalk or sand, these actions are almost
always full of imperfections, inadequacies, and inferiority. How can a man create a thing, give birth to an idea, that will be worthy of a holy, transcendent, and “otherly”
God? The truth is he cannot. But when I give birth to, create, and/or generate a song, idea, poem, picture, sermon, or ministry paradigm whose sole purpose is to “please Him,
communicate my love for Him, and share my heart with Him,” God is worshipped. We worship Him, as well we she should, He’s our Daddy.
In our worship, whether is it is traditional, liturgical, or modern worship, let us remember to be creative and innovative like our Father. Let us give birth to a thing, for
His glory. He will be pleased because it was conceived by love for Him and nurtured in our hearts. Regardless of the form, God never turns down worship from our hearts.
Psalm 66:1-4 - Make a joyful shout to God, all the earth! Sing out the
honor of His name; make His praise glorious. Say to God, “How awesome are Your works! Through the greatness of Your power Your enemies shall submit themselves to You. All the
earth shall worship You and sing praises to You; they shall sing praises to Your name.” Selah
Used by permission from Dr. Charlie Miller, High Plains Baptist Church, Clovis, NM
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If you have any questions about the Bible, this devotional, would like to talk about how to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ or any other need, please
feel free to contact me at any time.
Pastor Ben Robinson
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Midway Community Day
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July 24th will be the annual Midway Community Day. This year, FBC will have a table in this event. We plan on having a drawing for six $25 gift cards to Giant Eagle, as
well we would like to have face painting and some other things. We need volunteers to help out. The Community Day is from 11 AM to 5 PM. Volunteers do not need to be there
the whole time, but if you are interested, please see Pastor or one of the deacons. We are also looking for donations of bottled water to hand out for the day. Thank you
for your support as we reach out to our community.
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Out of the Office
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Pastor Ben will be out of the office July 14-17. He will be going to visit his parents in Bloomington, Indiana. He will also be gone July 19-23 for Teen Camp. As well as
July 30-August 3, for he and his family will be going to visit Stephanie’s parents in Michigan. You can still contact him by email and cell phone, if necessary.
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