9.12.10

Let me begin by saying this. I hate Florida. Some places, it's already getting chilly outside. Not here. My friend and I got in the car today and we could barely breathe it was so hot (for your information, if you want to ruin my day, show me a picture of Fall up north)!! I was sitting with a cup of coffee the other day, wishing it was less than 100 degrees outside. So depressing! Why oh why?!

Ok, I'm done ranting... for now.

Many of you are wondering how my preparations for my trip to Uganda are going. My answer to you is this: You should pray for me. :)  Raising money without an income is hard. When my mom gets back from her trip to Kansas, we will be working hard on things we can sell and creative ways to earn money and other such fun stuff. I'll be sure to try to keep you updated.

On another note, I was thinking a while back on worship; all it encompasses, what it really means. And I was also thinking about the story in the bible where David wants to make an altar for the Lord and goes to buy land for it. The guy who's selling it says, "Well I'll just give it to you, ox, land, everything! That way it won't cost you a thing. God will still accept you." And David says, "No! I won't offer God something that cost me nothing."

David refused to worship God with something that came so easily to him. So I thought about this in relation to worship; firstly during church, then through money, then in lifestyle in general.

I wrote a note on this a while ago actually. It's sort of long, but I found writing it insightful:

As a naturally physically conservative worshiper, I rarely feel comfortable raising my hands, jumping, etc. [honestly, one reason is that I've become quite jaded in that area from people just doing it to appear more spiritual to others, pleasing their pride instead of God's heart, so I'd avoided it altogether out of cynicism, to be frank, as well as generally feeling uncomfortable anyway]... even though it's church....so I devote my heart, but never my body in worship, thinking it's enough. I can, after all, worship on the inside; then people won't give me looks. But why would I give God something that costs me nothing? Is that even worship?

Then I may be in a place where I feel totally comfortable in worship. Everyone's doing it. So I don't mind. But again, why would I give God something that costs me nothing? Is that even worship?

I remember a time where I said, "Forget everyone else, I'm going to devote myself to worship." And God's presence was incredible.

If I'm bringing an offering, it must be something of value, something that costs me. If it's completely comfortable to give, it's of no value. It's like an old t-shirt. "Here, I didn't need it anyway." But He's worth more.

If I'm giving money as worship, it better cost something. If I give money to charity, since I have plenty, and it costs nothing to me, is it worship?

If it's not valuable to me, why would it me valuable to God?

If my worship isn't costing me something (pride, dignity, comfort, money), it probably isn't worship. 

Worship comes out of gratitude and love for the Lord, not out of excess or comfort. This humble worship is pure, valuable and beautiful. 

What do you think? I felt very challenged and enlightened when God revealed this to me. I hope you feel the same :)

Well, I've gotta hit the sack. Busy day tomorrow! I hope you have a great Sunday! xoxo