Some people find it hard to understand the idea of worship beyond music or religious rituals. Whatever assumptions there are about worship, the story of King David in 1 Chronicles 29 tells us that the overflow of a man's heart marks the beginning of his worship.
Above and beyond all the gold, silver, bronze and the precious stones that were gathered to build a house of worship where people can meet with God, King David offered without reservation his personal treasure of 113 tons of gold and 214 tons of silver - because his heart was in God's plan to create a holy place.
King David did not give up his treasure because God demanded. Instead, he had an understanding that everything he has belongs to God. "Everything comes from you; all we're doing is giving back what we have been given from your generous hand. As far as you are concerned, we're homeless, shiftless wanderers like our ancestors, our lives mere shadow, hardly anything to us..." 1 Chronicles 29v14-15
While King David's act of worship involved offering much valuable possessions, he was never confused about what God really desires from us..."I know that you care nothing for the surface - you want us, our true selves - and so I have given from the heart, honestly and happily".
Our outward expression of worship and our giving towards God/His plans are merely an overflow of our gratitude for who He is and what He has established for humanity at the cross. When we gain an understanding of the greatness, sovereignty and splendor of God, giving ourselves and our possessions back to God can not be a more natural response.
Jesus came and marked the end of religious bondage, hence we now no longer live under the laws of having to do or not to do certain things for our worship be acceptable. Instead our new approach to God is to take our everyday, ordinary life - our sleeping, eating, going to work and walking around life - and place it before God as an offering (Romans 12). This is our spiritual acts of worship, because we are after all spiritual beings with human experiences.
Having understood that everything comes from Him, I hope that our hearts of worship will always be anchored in King David's prayer "...Keep this generous spirit alive forever in us always, keep our hearts set firmly in you and give us an uncluttered and focused heart so that we can obey what you command, live by your directions and counsel..."
Album recording next Sunday is going to be awesome, even if it's only a snapshot of what a life time looks like for a small part of the entire church body!
*Hillsong Album recording 2011 CNN interview - http://hillsongcollected.com/creative/hillsong-live-interview-cnn
**Stuff The Bus Project - http://stuffthebus.org.au/ which invites the local community to contribute christmas gifts towards families and children in need this christmas.
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