Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

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 Worship – Which gives Perfection to Personhood

Acts 2:22-36
V 25, 26 ‘I saw the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Therefore, my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest in hope.

 “We become like that which we worship. Therefore, as we worship the Lord, we are changed into His very likeness.” (Destiny Image) 
When we intentionally choose to focus on God and worship Him during the painful times of our life, trusting that He knows what’s best for us, He will faithfully take us to the other side of our suffering, to a new place of healing, where we are perfected in His image. I recently witnessed a simple illustration of this truth while toasting a pop tart (the breakfast of champions...and lazy moms) for my daughter. A very angry and hostile pop tart leaped out of nowhere and landed on my hand, causing a painful burn that developed into excruciating blisters. The pain was so severe that it was the only thing I could focus on, which prevented me from getting anything done. However, as I kept glancing at my hand, it occurred to me that God has created our bodies in such an amazing way that they have the ability to heal themselves naturally. Blisters are God’s natural form of protection that shields and cushions the wound below from harmful bacteria. Blisters protect the wounded area and provide a safe environment for healthy, new skin to grow. As time passes, the blister peels off, leaving healthy, perfect, new skin below. In a similar way, when we face difficult circumstances in life, if we focus only on the pain, we remain paralyzed, unable to grow in our faith. However, when we lift our eyes to our compassionate Heavenly Father, worshiping Him through the pain and trusting that He works all things for our good, He will faithfully heal our wounds over time. Eventually, the “blister” will fall off to reveal a brand, new creation, perfected in God’s image. The key is to choose to see “the Lord always before [us]” and to know that He is with us, “at [our] right hand.” In the case of my blisters, God was literally working on my right hand to heal the burn through the blisters. In time, the blisters disappeared, leaving behind brand new, healthy skin imprinted by the Master’s touch. 
If you are going through difficult circumstances, take a moment to worship God through the pain. “Worship wakes us up to the presence of God.” (T.D. Jakes) And when God is present, we “will not be shaken,” our heart will be glad, and we will be filled with hope. 
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Prayer

 Heavenly Father, fill our hearts with AWE and adoration to worship You joyfully, exuberantly, in all times and in all circumstances. Teach us to worship You using the unique talents and personalities You have given us. Let our worship and praise bring glory, joy, and honor to You. In Jesus' name, we pray, Amen.


Thought for the Day

Worship wakes us up to the presence of God. (T.D. Jakes)

Susy Ninan
Sehion MTC, Dallas, TX

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