Genuine Worship Resides in Finding God to Be Enough
True confessions: I like scrolling social media. Don’t judge me, but I enjoy checking in throughout the day and seeing what others have deemed “post worthy.” Admittedly, I roll my eyes at many things or hit the unfollow button. And I am continually amazed over the quotes people post.
Many influencers post quotes designed to encourage you and enable you to believe you have value. As a believer in Jesus, I scratch my head at so many of the quotes and think, “well… maybe…?” The phrases contain an element of truth, but they don’t declare the whole truth. I think they are misleading.
Here are some gems:
- “You find your worth within yourself”
- “No one is You, and that’s your power.”
- “To be happy you don’t need to be perfect. You just need to be real and accept yourself as you are because you are already enough.”
- “You are given this beautiful life because you are strong enough to give it meaning.”
We have Value
God declares in His Word we are individuals of great value but are we not enough. Paul tells us in Ephesians, we are God’s handiwork or masterpiece. We key in on that word masterpiece and tell ourselves how amazing we must be. But we are only given such a description because we are created in Christ Jesus, because of God’s grace, and not because of anything we have done or can do (Ephesians 2:8-10).
When God speaks to Moses through a burning bush and assigns him the task to go to Pharaoh and free the Israelites, Moses asks “who am I?” God responds, “I will be with you.” (Exodus 3:11-12) God doesn’t detail out Moses’ skills or gifting, or even that he is chosen because he is so committed to God. God reassures Moses with who God Himself is.
Hezekiah Wasn’t Enough
Hezekiah knew the truth that he wasn’t enough. Over the last several weeks we’ve learned “there was no one like [Hezekiah],” and “wherever [Hezekiah] went he prospered.” (2 Kings 18:5-7) Hezekiah was very aware of two significant things: 1) genuine worship includes knowing who we are, combined with knowing who God is; and 2) genuine worship makes everything about God.
In the story of Hezekiah and his battle against the Assyrians, there comes a point where his officials come to him with a serious threat from Sennacherib, the Assyrian king. Hezekiah’s officials are so grief stricken they come to him with their clothes torn.
“When King Hezekiah heard their report, he tore his clothes, covered himself with sackcloth, and went into the LORD’s temple.”
2 Kings 19:1 and Isaiah 37:1
Beyond-us Circumstances
Hezekiah understood he was incapable; he was starkly aware his enemy and his enemy’s army was bigger. Hezekiah was prepared to face the Assyrians; he had fortified his city and constructed weapons. He also lived a life of worship, depending on God with pure intentionality to follow Him always. And he recognized this circumstance was beyond him.
I’m convinced some of you identify with Hezekiah right now. You’ve been doing all the things to manage life successfully. You are in God’s Word, you attend church services every week, and you pray at every opportunity. Still, you are facing a circumstance that you feel certain is beyond you.
Before we continue with Hezekiah, allow me to remind you of what God told Moses in Exodus 3. God said then, and He says now, “I will be with you.” Tuck that into your heart as we continue to learn from Hezekiah.
A Heart of Worship
Hezekiah provides us with a compelling picture of how to deal with beyond-us-circumstances through a heart of worship. Hezekiah comprehends the truth about his inability, so he humbles himself by tearing his clothes, and wearing sackcloth. He grieves because he foresees he can’t prevail on his own.
But Hezekiah also grasps the truth about God. So, in his messed up, wrecked state, he does 2 things. First, he goes to the temple to meet with God. Second, he sends a message to Isaiah, asking Isaiah to pray.
An Accurate Picture of God
Interestingly, in Hezekiah’s message to Isaiah, we catch a glimpse of Hezekiah’s attitude concerning God. He refers to God as Yahweh, identifying God as Israel’s One True God. He also addresses God as the Living God. Hezekiah purposefully distinguishes God from all other idols and gods. He’s declaring his belief that he knows Yahweh is alive, he’s not a dead god. Hezekiah has an accurate picture of who God is and what God can do.
But wait, there’s more. Sennacherib, the Assyrian king isn’t done threatening Hezekiah and the people of Judah. He dispatches a nasty letter telling Hezekiah he will lose so he might as well give up. Hezekiah takes the letter, returns to the temple, and spreads the letter out before the Lord.
Making All Things About God
Scripture doesn’t tell us Hezekiah’s posture when he lays the letter out. But I honestly can’t imagine Hezekiah doing anything but falling face down on the floor before Yahweh, the Living God. This mental image is intensified in my mind when I read Hezekiah’s prayer in Isaiah 37:16-20.
Hezekiah makes everything about God. He doesn’t go on and on about being afraid or wondering how God might rescue them. He isn’t concerned with saving face for himself, instead he’s concerned with God’s honor alone.
In that moment before God in the temple, Hezekiah lives out genuine worship. He is depending completely on God; he remains pure in his intentionality to follow only God; he is seeing himself and God with unmistakable honesty; and he’s making everything all about God.
Genuine Worship isn’t Easy
You need to know; Hezekiah didn’t do everything perfectly. There’s a part of his story told in Isaiah 38-39 and 2 Chronicles 22 where Hezekiah gets sick, and scripture says he’s going to die. He begs God, and God grants him 15 more years, but Hezekiah becomes prideful and makes some poor decisions before he repents.
Living a life of genuine worship isn’t always easy. Consistently seeing ourselves honestly and continually making everything about God is certainly not instinctive. When life throws us a curve ball and things don’t go as planned it’s a struggle to make everything about God. If we feel God isn’t responding to our prayers, it’s difficult to see God in all His goodness and grace. At times we see how God is blessing someone else with what we want, and we can’t visualize ourselves or God honestly. Plus, to make life all about God when we battle hurt and disappointment feels overwhelming.
We can have a multitude of blessings and get stuck on the one thing we don’t have. Or we can be so very aware of our multitude of blessings we begin to think we are “all that.”
God is Enough
May I remind you one more time of what God told Moses? God said, “I will be with you.” We don’t have to be affirmed on social media, or even believe we are enough. God is enough. Yahweh, the One True God, the Living God, He chooses you and me because He knows, in Christ, we are masterpieces.
God is worthy of our genuine worship. May we confidently depend on God, exhibit a pure intentionality as we follow God, see ourselves and God honestly, and make everything we say and do about God alone.
Photo of Quotes by Alice Pasqual on Unsplash
I’ve always loved this part of the story about Hezekiah. His dependence on God, who is IS and realizing just who he, Hezekiah, was. I do get disappointed sometimes though when I continue to read and find later these good kings end up falling back on “themselves” and forget just WHO God is. But I have to take a good look at myself and realize I too do the very same thing when faced with the trials of life. My cry is to remember and live just WHO my God is and worship Him alone.
As I sat down to begin my time of prayer and worship this morning, the first words that popped into my mind were “Be Still and KNOW that I AM God”. Just what I needed today, praise His faithfulness.
Oh and I agree with you Nancy. I can’t stand these quotes of today that elevate ME and that strength and answers lay deep within myself. How the enemy likes to turn us away from the only true help.
I like how you phrased the struggle: “these quotes… elevate ME and that strength and answers lay deep within myself.” How we must see that only Christ has the strength and answers we need!
Being able to still oneself and focus on who God is is so comforting, encouraging and strengthening. It’s so easy to forget who God is when life becomes overwhelming, or when life is super easy. I, like you, am so thankful for God’s faithfulness, even when I struggle to be centered on HIm!