The Church Picture

 

The Church Picture

^{2 Samiuel 6:20  “}Then David returned to bless his household. And Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and said, How glorious was the king of Israel to day, who uncovered himself to day in the eyes of the handmaids of his servants, as one of the vain fellows shamelessly uncovereth himself!²¹ And David said unto Michal, It was before the Lord, which chose me before thy father, and before all his house, to appoint me ruler over the people of the Lord, over Israel: therefore will I play before the Lord.²² And I will yet be more vile than thus, and will be base in mine own sight: and of the maidservants which thou hast spoken of, of them shall I be had in honour.”

^{Revelation 4:10 “}The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying,¹¹ Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.”

^{Deuteronomy 9:25 “}Thus I fell down before the Lord forty days and forty nights, as I fell down at the first; because the Lord had said he would destroy you.”

     If Bob Ross were here, how would he paint our corporate worship?  With a background of sky? Then formidable mountains girding the horizon?  Surely happy trees would somehow sprout up and tie in the carved jutting rocks with the foreground of soft ferns and blooming flowers.  Happy, happy.

     If Bob knew how to layer a painting to portray depth and dimension, how much more can we layer our worship to achieve the complexities of a rightful sacrifice for our King?

     The sky, our greetings with hugs and kisses.  The mountains, hymns and songs telling the timeless standing of God in provision and protection of His children. Palm trees waving, individual testimonies of ones speaking out in gratitude.  The soft ferns in front, impressionable children feeling the experience.

     The question then:  What did we get out of church?  Maybe, what did we contribute would be better pondering.  Our corporate worship.  The package we bring before the King.  He commissions each local church to come in assembly and offer fragrant spices, golden givings, incense, and a showbread of continual testimony.  He wants complexities and an interleaving of His Holy Spirit with the voices of His children.  How He wants to interact and sing!  The Great Father wants to play with His children.  Even rough housing on the floor as the congregation erupts in uncontrollable laughter.  What a picture!  Thanks Bob for your service.

     We will become undignified.  Before the All King, We will willingly bow.  It is our responsibility to model that for our children now.  What did we get out of service?  What really do we bring home?

     In the home is where worship begins.  Authority and compassion live simultaneously together.  A reaching out of serving one to another.  A pause for the weak and a championed call to follow those endued with the foreknowledge needed for leadership.  Family dynamics reign here.  Will our nuclear cells empower our offspring to worship, or will Mom and Dad sink the control rods down to dampen their response?

     Bad teaching corrupts the fuel.  After the reaction, all we have to show is nuclear waste.  Nobody wants it.  We bury it in hills to our shame.  We come back home to our temporary living facilities only to be fragmented once again as a ball through a window.  God wants unity.  He knows corporate worship brings health to His people.  Today, this Sunday, will we light the sky with our reactors glowing?  Will we approach the Throne in appropriate posture?  Moses knew.  Can we so position ourselves to acknowledge the God who sustains us?  What will our children see?  Entertainment, a good show, a teaching lesson, free food?  Or will they know the presence of God?