Worship

Scotty Smith:  A Prayer About How Jesus Transforms Worship

     There was also a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, and then was a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshiped night and day, fasting and praying. Coming up to them at that very moment, she gave thanks to God and spoke about the child (Jesus) to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem. Luke 2:36-38

     Lord Jesus, there are innumerable reasons to love and praise you. Reading Anna’s story, once again makes me grateful for how you radically transformed the worship of God. The main reason we’ve been created is to glorify God and enjoy him forever, so nothing is more important than how we worship God.
     Though I admire Anna for her life of devotion—her life of worshipping God ceaselessly in the temple, I adore you for removing all the limitations temple worship imposed. You were just eight days old when Anna met you in the temple. There’s no way she could have imagined you came into the world to fulfill and replace temple worship forever.
     By your death on the cross, you atoned for our sins once and for all and you exhausted God’s righteous judgment that stood against us. Through your incalculable sacrifice, you fulfilled the entire sacrificial system. It will never resume, for the shadow has given way to the substance—the type to the antitype.
     O, the freedom we now enjoy! The gospel put an end to any doubts about acceptable worship.     Not only is there now “no condemnation,” there is now full celebration, for we are fully and eternally acceptable to God in you. The sacrifice we make is one of life and praise, not ritual and repetition.
     Jesus, we also praise you for removing all spacial and calendar limitations on God’s worship. Because of what you have done for us, “true worshippers” are those who worship God in spirit and in truth (John 4:21-26). Not just in one place, but in every place. Though we’re still to gather with our brothers and sisters for services of worship, you’ve transformed the entire Christian life into worship service. Everything we do is to declare your worth and glory. Everything is to be offered as an act of worship.
     Because of you, Jesus, one Day the entire earth will be covered with the knowledge of the glory of God. The new heaven and new earth will be like the Garden of Eden on steroids. There’ll be no temple, for you and the Father will be the temple—our eternal sanctuary of glory and grace. (Rev. 21:1-22:6)
     Every creature and all creation will be liberated for the doxological delights of knowing and serving you forever. Oh, hasten that glad and glorious Day. So very Amen, we pray, in your faithful and worthy name.