A Life of Praise

“I appeal to you, therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.” Romans 12:1 (ESV)

“You can have it all, Lord; Every part of my world; Take this life and breathe on this heart that is now Yours.” Bethel Music
  • As you meet with the Lord, thank Him that His mercies are new every day and that He has a plan for your day (Lamentations 3:22-23; Jeremiah 29:11).
  • Read Jeremiah 29:11-14. As you read, reflect on the promises in these verses. Journal what these promises mean to you.
  • Take a moment to dwell on the goodness of the Lord, His overwhelming love, and who He is.

A Life of Praise

Sunday morning worship was beautiful and moving. As I lifted my hands to worship my King, my heart was moved to surrender. I love worship services because I know I meet with Jesus there. The Bible tells us that God inhabits the praises of His people, so you can see why a congregation singing His praise is the perfect place to meet with Him.

Coming home to my to-do list, I began to wonder how I could keep this position of worship in my heart throughout the day. Do I turn on a worship album and sing along? When I do, I get lost in the worship and don’t accomplish much. That wasn’t the answer my heart was looking for, so I asked the Lord.

Two verses came to my mind:

Present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. (Romans 12:1 ESV)

The true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. (John 4:23 ESV)

I pondered these verses for a few days, trying to understand how to incorporate worship into everyday living. Then, among the laundry, it was clear to me. God wants all that I do to bring Him glory (1 Corinthians 10:31). If God knows the plans He has for me (Jeremiah 29:11) and has given me the life of wife and mother, my spiritual act of worship is to bring His name glory in all I do. Whether I am folding clothes, running to activities, or preparing a meal, I worship by honoring God in the tasks set before me.

Being a living sacrifice is what my dad always calls “dying to yourself.” It’s putting my grumbling heart aside and refocusing on the Lord and His ways, presenting all I do as a gift. In John 4, Jesus tells the woman at the well that we will worship in spirit and truth.

Worship is an act of devotion usually directed towards a deity. An act of worship may be performed individually, in an informal or formal group, or by a designated leader.

Did you catch that? Worship is an act of devotion. We know how to show our devotion to our family and friends; that seems easy. It’s the same for God. Living our lives with a heart of devotion towards our Creator and Savior spills over into all we do. When we live to show Him our devotion, we live sacrificial lives because we love Him more than we want to do things our way.

Worship is the position of our hearts. It is focusing on who we are worshipping and why we do what we do. Worship is not merely songs of praise, but it is a life of praise.

This season, as you learn how to abide in Jesus, let a heart of worship draw you further into His presence and deeper into the Vine, for there is life when we abide in the Vine.

Blessings and Love,

Katie

Questions to Ponder

  • When you hear the word “worship,” what comes to mind?
  • If you don’t already, how can you begin to see worship as a heart position, instead of singing songs?
  • How can you present yourself as a living sacrifice throughout your day?

Faith-Filled Ideas

Begin your day with some worship music playing. Ask the Lord how to make your to-do list an act of worship. Remember, the music isn’t the worship, but having it on will remind your mind that your heart is worshipping in all you do.

Take a minute to write yourself a couple of reminders to live as a worshipper. Hand-letter or paint a reminder, find a graphic online you like and print it off, or simply grab a sticky note and jot it down.

Invite your children to join in as you worship with music. This will be a sweet time to share with them. As you go about your day, remind them about the time you spend with the Lord and incorporate it into what you are doing; for example, tell them, “The way we share our toys is an act of worship. It shows others the love of Jesus.” Just little things here and there will help them begin to understand that worship isn’t only singing at church.

Katie Sadler
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