The materialism of our age rubs off on me. I come to think that God needs us to fulfil His purposes. I forget He could do everything, but that he chooses to involve us as a Father might involve His four year old son.
I had been thinking through the purposes of the Christian life, when I realised I was more fascinated by my neat explanation than God who is the focus. As I read Psalm 50 ‘God blazes into view, our God makes his entrance.’ I realise that on tinkering with any explanation I am left silenced and pathetic when Jesus enters centre stage. Any explanation I have is a mere caricature when set beside His reality.
How much ministry has become this way? I want to be a channel through which God works, yet what are my motives? Is it really ‘All for Jesus’? Is there a desire for some of the glory? If I take verses 8-10 and replace the worship of that time, sacrifice and burnt offering, with the means of worship of our day, evangelism, worship and preaching, … I get much the same sense.
8 I bring no charges against you concerning your sacrifices
or concerning your burnt offerings, which are ever before me.
9 I have no need of a bull from your stall
or of goats from your pens,
10 for every animal of the forest is mine,
and the cattle on a thousand hills. [Psalm 50:8-10 NIV]
Maybe some of the Churches retreat of our day is a wake up call to focus on the Father not ministry?