Is He Worthy?

Leviticus 2:1-2 pictures the sacrifice willingly brought by the people as worship or rightly declaring the “worth-ship” of Him alone who is worthy. The job of the priests as it relates to the handling of these sacrifices was at least two-fold. First to intercede on behalf of the people before a holy God through the offering of sacrifices for sin which all culminated in the annual Sacrifice of Atonement made once a year and only by the High Priest. The second purpose was the presentation of offerings of worship and praise to the Lord. Certainly the crown jewel of creation, humanity, created in the very image of the eternal God could not resist the opportunity to declare the “worth-ship” of its explanation for existence. Therefore, God again in His mercy provided such a means so as to allow for the offering to be received. It is not that worship is necessarily an indispensable article of the Christian life so much as it is its foundation. To not worship brings to mind the contemptuous rebellion of the devil himself for at the heart of his intention was a refusal to declare truth in his refusing to venerate. Therefore, any that would repudiate worship be it through neglect, or dereliction, or self-centeredness are akin to the father of insurrection himself and no other excuse may be reasonably offered for committing so dastardly a crime so as to embezzle the very treasury of heaven by withholding worship. So great is the preeminence of worship that the inspired writer of Hebrews declares in 9:11 that, “Christ appeared as a high priest.” What is it that the priests lived to do but first to offer the sacrifice of atonement which Christ Himself did, setting aside the glories of heaven and taking upon Himself the form of a servant, offering His own body and even more laying His very life down upon the alter that He might once and for all make available the appeasement of the wrath of God and provide for the atonement of sin, Why; that we might live and not die the death eternal and that we might be rescued from the everlasting torment of hell. How is it then that we, the most blessed recipients of this wondrous gift not respond with frequent ejaculations of praise and worship to the great and merciful God? This brings us to the second purpose of the continual ministry of our Lord, that of being the High Priest at the great heavenly temple receiving the offerings of praise and worship which would undoubtedly be expected to be brought by the adoring beneficiaries of this grace. Certainly, only the busy hands of the Lord Himself could work quickly enough to receive the overabundance of worship. Perhaps even at times crying out as Moses did, “Enough, bring no more!” However, this is not the case is it? May I invite you to consider your own offering of praise and worship? I suppose each of us is equally guilty of boldly trotting into the pristine courts of heaven in boots muddied by the decadent soil of this world. Strolling past the Great High Priest as if He were little more than some sort of heavenly “doorman” to whom we may call upon as we might see fit; flip Him a coin or two of our version of “worship” and then brazenly charge the throne of the Almighty with only the objective of saddling Him once again with our mortal minded “To-Do” list. As if the Creator of all that is were reduced to nothing more than our yardman who lives not that He may be rightly glorified but simply to check-off our list of chores as quickly and might I add quietly as possible that we might go back to our leisure. How dare we! What evil poison has so afflicted me that I would so much as consider such a thing let alone commit the act? I am ashamed to even consider the offense that this is to God so may I merely entertain the thought of the horror that this must be to God’s holy angels. Oh how disgusted and embarrassed they must be to see this collection of dust and clay in whom the spirit of life has been breathed most lovingly by the Master Himself, and in His very image no less, deny their Lord His due. These whom we shall judge must gasp in disbelief at such an offense committed again and again. What, may I ask does this say about God when we fail to come into His presence with praise and thanksgiving? By this I do not mean what does this express or represent of His being for that has nothing to do with us. No, what I refer to is what does this say of my declaration of Him? Who do I say that He is when I do this? Have you nothing to bring? Are your hands so empty so as to come with naught? Are your mirrors free of inspiration for which you would offer praise? Hebrews 13:15 says, “Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name.” He alone is worthy, what will you give Him today?