1 Corinthians 3:2-3 (NIV)
I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. You are still worldly.
Romans 12:1-2 (NIV)
12 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.
“I’m just not getting anything out of it.” “It used to be different.” “I just don’t get that same feeling anymore.” I bet Eli Manning could say all these things now that he has been replaced as the starter by Daniel Jones. You may have heard these statements when people talk about their church experiences. Pastors hear this quite often, usually in conjunction with people changing churches or leaving church all together. I get it.
Whether we were children or adults, those first years of following Christ were filled with feelings that came with being freed from sin, loved by God, and fellowshipping with a body of believers who were excited to support our new found faith in Christ. Then, real life set in. Perhaps the excitement of worship on Sunday faded into repetitive songs and sermons that seemed to be a shadow of those we once heard. Maybe the reality of relationships with fellow Christians came with many of the same ups and downs we had with our non-Christian friends. Somewhere along the way we probably realized that the pastor wasn’t perfect, the worship lacked wonder, and our Christian friends would fail us. “I’m just not getting anything out of it.”
But there is a time to grow out of this infant stage of faith where, like a baby, we focus on ourselves and our individual needs, wants, and feelings. Somewhere in our spiritual maturity, we must move on to solid food and stop expecting to simply “get something” out of weekly worship services.
True worship consists of giving something. We should offer our bodies as a living sacrifice. A sacrifice lays down their life for the one(s) they love. When we come together on Sundays, we remind each other that we are still free from sin, God still loves us, and the imperfect people around us are all striving to live Christian lives in an un-Christian world – even when it doesn’t “feel” like it.
Jesus sacrificed his life so he could redeem all of his creation. If we aren’t getting anything out of that, it’s because we have placed our focus on ourselves rather than the One who conquered sin and death! True worship focuses on God’s action in the world and reminds us that we are called to sacrifice ourselves for His kingdom, not the other way around.
Eli Manning is at a point where he can focus on his own feelings and leave the Giants, or sacrificially give everything he has left serving the team that has paid him $250,000,000 and put him in a position to win two Super-Bowls. None of us are Eli Manning, and the Giants hardly compare to God’s kingdom; but we all have to decide if we are going to make our lives about us or the one who paid the ultimate price to put us in a position to sacrifice for a kingdom that will never end.
I hope these devotionals are allowing you time to read God’s word and reflect on what He is doing all around us. I hope you make time to read your Bible and attend times of worship and fellowship between these twice-a-week devotionals. May these times help us focus less on ourselves and more on God. May we offer our bodies as a living sacrifice as we grow from spiritual milk to solid food in our Bible study, worship, fellowship, and service.
In Christ,
Ray