John 17: True Worship

John 17

This is the shift. Now is the time where Jesus is going to start ending his earthly ministry and start praying for ours. He has been praying for ours the whole time but now he is passing the torch so to speak. But the verse I love is this one vs 1b, “Glorify your Son so that the Son may glorify you.” He doesn’t ask for it to get easier. He doesn’t ask for blessings or recognition or for things to go well. He doesn’t ask for health or healing for family. In the end, when all the cards are on the table, when all that matters is what matters - we exist to glorify Him. God glorify us to glorify You. We exist to worship something. We have to, that’s why we were created. Whether it be our children, spouse, the programs we create, our jobs, families, our homes and cars, our tech devices, our control over our lives, our social media selves; whatever it is - we have to worship something. Let it be God. And can I ask you to go one step further? Let it be God for the sole purpose of glorifying Him, and not you?

We are taught in 1 Thessalonians 5:18 to "Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." This is true worship. We never know what our circumstances may be and we cannot hold tightly to anything of this world because we are only travelers here. I am reminded of Corrie TenBoom and her amazing story in The Hiding Place where she recounts being overcome with fleas in their barracks Ravensbruck where her and her sister were kept during WW2. Corrie swore that she could never thank God for the fleas but her sister, remembering this verse from their morning prayers submitted to thanking God for the fleas. In looking back, they realized that because of those fleas, the guards would not go into their barracks and they were able to hold bible studies freely and many were converted to Christ. In all things give thanks and freely submit every part of your life to Him who works all things for His good. How amazing our life can be when we believe "in" and not just that there "is". When we fully give ourselves over the the work of our Lord in whatever capacity we find that He has placed us and wants us to be in so that we may bring glory to Him.

Not as easy as it sounds. Especially not in front of those we love the most. They know us too well and know all of our shortcomings. But if we try. If we take one step, one minute of true worship. Then one more. If we continue to submit and adopt that attitude and ask our Father to be our dad and the Holy Spirit to help us believe “in”.... think of what it could be!