"Knowing God - II"

If one could go back to ancient Israel and see their camping in the wilderness, there would be one thing clear. Thousands of thousands of tents pitched around a central, larger tent. All tents from the north, south, east and west, belonging to various tribes would be facing the center of the camp, where the tabernacle stood, the very place in which God dwelt. All of this arrangement reflected a major truth: God cannot accept or be offered anything but central place in the lives, affections, will and worship of His people! The Lord God Almighty always seeks our highest good and that only comes about when we place Him at the center of our being.

Moses warned, "For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God." (Deut. 4:24) God's voice was clear when He spoke to Moses telling him, "For you shall not worship any other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God." (Ex. 34:14) In other words, don't give to others what belongs to God! That brings about a question: Are we sure we know what belongs to God?

Every time God sends warnings to His people, there is a present danger that exists. Putting others ahead of God, seeking man's ideas instead of God and worshipping in a way that dishonors God is at the doorstep. Just take some time and look it up and you will see it. That same attitude is spoken to us in Heb. 12:26-29 in our approach to God. The world has impressed upon us the central issue with God and worshipping His name is nothing more than..."happy hour"! Verses are quoted about entering His courts with praise or assembling in the name of God to honor man or man's offspring (I'm speaking of blessing babies in a service) so man takes it upon himself to make it an event that is less than reverent and God centered! Finding deep pleasure in the Lord is one thing but crossing the line from a deep reverence and intimacy with God to a loud "happy clappy" atmosphere or some man made thinking to add in is something else.

God drowned the Egyptians for their idols of worship, showing who He really is. God drove nation after nation out of the promised land and buried them because of their idolatry and evil ways. God sent His own away into captivity because they imitated the lost nations around in their thinking and worship. If we would learn to keep God central in our lives, our hearts, that will indeed affect our worship and how our worship is constructed. Our worship might be joyful, but it won't be a carnival or entertainment! It will be worship! A God centered, reverent worship. It might bring us pleasure but it will also bring with it a sharp pain of conviction of God's holiness. True worship will stress the holiness, the majestic and glorious Lord because He is worthy and will put us in our puny little place, rather than raise us up to a level of applause, seeing nothing more than ourselves! We need to know God!