nothing to offer

~ We, the Church as a whole, have abused the freedom given us to worship.. we have failed to see it as the privilege, the miracle, the most humble of things to have the veil ripped wide open by the blood of Christ for us to approach the presence of the God of the universe.. it's not a license to show off or flaunt ourselves in arrogance.. it is an audience with the King, the Savior, the Lord.. to thank him for his amazing ...grace, his love for us, his forgiveness and his desire for intimate relationship with us.. in our messiness and imperfections. We see it as the right to dance around and make a show of our rights.. when it is such a humbling thing.. the privilege to worship him, to approach his presence, to be met with such grace and affection by our heavenly Father.


~ We enter in with nothing to offer.. we enter in and he places gifts in our hands, in our hearts, in our mouths... we respond to his goodness with the skill and talents and beauty that he has woven into each of us as he fashioned us in his heart and mind. He thought us into existence and wired us for expression.. he is like the electricity that flows thru us and empowers us to shine. Who are we to ...enter in and think we can impress him or anyone else..

Shine.. take your gifts and talents to the fullest in expression.. but walk humbly before God, never forgetting that worship is a privilege.. entering into his presence to be ourselves, to be who he created us to be, to express the song in our hearts.. it cost him much to give us that freedom. It is a gift that God gives with all the excitement of a loving father wanting to bless his precious child.. a bridegroom that wants to know his bride in the most intimate of relationships.


~ In truth.. God knew what it would cost him from the beginning.. to make a creation with the freedom to choose to love him back... he knew he would have to die to have such a thing, such intimacy, such a relationship, to expand his family, to have children, to know his bride one to one, face to face, in a truly personl and real relationship.. he knew to give her freedom, he would have to leave his throne and die. He knew what it would cost him.. and yet.. look what he has done to give us that freedom.. how can we take such a thing so lightly, how can we not be absolutely undone by the love of such a great God for us, for the privilege to be loved and chased and fought for by him..