Romans 11:36 (AMP)  For from Him [all things originate] and through Him [all things live and exist] and to Him are all things [directed]. To Him be glory and honor forever! Amen.

God is the originator of all. It is because of Him that we live and exist, and it is for Him we live and exist. This is why He is to be honored and glorified. We live in a world that only wants to worship when they receive. How about it is because of who He is. The next verse comes in Romans chapter 12. It is connected to the above scripture.

Romans 12:1 (AMP) Therefore I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies [dedicating all of yourselves, set apart] as a living sacrifice, holy and well-pleasing to God, which is your rational (logical, intelligent) act of worship. 

My act of worship is not a song I sing before the preaching starts. It is not the few minutes I give God in my day to pray. My life is an act of worship. Now this does not mean that I quote scripture ever other breath. This is an invitation from God that I can walk continually in His Presence. When someone is in our presence, do we ignore them? We check in and acknowledge them.

James 4:8 (AMP) Come close to God [with a contrite heart] and He will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; and purify your [unfaithful] hearts, you double-minded [people].

What does it mean to be double-minded? I look at it that we become self-focused and self-driven. We are double-minded in that we care more for our well being than anyone else’s. Part of my worship is how I treat others. I do not live for other’s approval, but I am to live is such a way that people do matter. This does not mean I subject myself to abuse or put myself in places that people can manipulate me. It does not mean that I only seek out relationships that can benefit me. My prayer this year has been for God to increase His love in me so that it is all that flows out of me. This requires patience, because I am not always going to get it right. This is why I have a deep need for Him.

John 15:7 (AMP)  This [is what] I command you: that you love and unselfishly seek the best for one another.

John 15:10 (AMP) If you keep My commandments and obey My teaching, you will remain in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and remain in His love.

Jesus walked in Oneness with the Father here on earth. Why? He stayed close to Him. In His humanity He showed us how to do this. His life on earth was that of worship to the Father. That is why He could just speak and deliverance, healing and people were raised from the dead. I do not believe Jesus spent so much time with God so that He could do those miracles, the miracles were a by product of His time spent with God. How many of us seek God for the blessings, when the blessings should be an outflow of the time we spend with Him. The Kingdom of God cannot help but to prosper. Your mind cannot help but to be renewed. Your emotions cannot help but to be put back in line. He is desiring us to draw near to Him.

My life matters. My eternity started when I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior. I am not fearful of losing my salvation. That is not the point of this life of worship. The point is that we should not treat His Presence as common (the opposite of Holy). He is still the God of the beginning and the end.

Romans 11: 33-35 (AMP) Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and decisions and how unfathomable and untraceable are His ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been His counselor? Or who has first given to Him that it would be paid back to him? 

No one is like the Lord. In His Presence is fullness of joy. Why would you not want to be there? He is inviting you to come closer today. Lay it all down. Surrender whatever that you have been holding onto. Surrender the worry. Surrender the doubt. Surrender and let faith draw you near. The width and length and height and depth of His love (Ephesians 3:18), let it surround you. We are learning a new song at church called Surrounded By Holy. I love this part of the song that says, “The more that I enter in, You consume all I am, I lose myself in the One who’s holy.” There is no one more Holy. Come closer.

Father, Elohim, Creator and Lord, You are all that is and all that will ever be. You are Holy. We honor You today in our worship. Thank You for sending Your Son to restore us back to right standing with You. Thank You for the Holy Spirit, the third person of the God head, that dwells within and with us. We thank You for the throne room of grace and mercy. We are no longer bound to the outer courts. We repent for the times we have only sought Your face for when we needed something from You. We do not seek after Your blessings. We seek after You. We are choosing to love like You love. We want to see the best in others and to live unselfishly in love. We surrender our hearts and minds to You. We desire to present our whole selves as a living sacrifice to You, holy, as our act of worship to You. We want to draw closer. We are making a choice to forgive freely. We choose love today. We choose hope today. We choose forgiveness today. We choose joy today. In Jesus Name, Amen.