I often myself telling people how much I love worship. Recently I came across a song called ‘Made to Worship’ by Bryan McCleery that took my breath away. The words were an echo of my heart that I could not have articulated but felt with every beat of my heart. It got me asking the question, what is it about worship that I love? What does it really mean to me? The words that spring to mind is simply this: ‘everything laid down’. I asked the Lord, what’s your definition?

” It’s not the words. It’s the action. Where is the action? There you will find your worship.”

I realised, I can express my worship, my love and desire for God in words and song but it must be followed by action. Speech ACTS. The Lord reminded me of the power of the tongue. Words have power; if I go all the way back to the book of Genesis, God only has to utter a word and He creates. Formed at His words and the commands of His mouth, the world was created.

This greatly challenges me: it is not only the expression of what I most hold dear but the action taken in response. Worship is not worship if I do not change. I can sing about giving God my everything but it is meaningless without action.

Lord Jesus, what do you want me to lay down?

“What other people think. ‘Who cares?’, people often say. Know this: I care. Put My cares first-not other people’s. The things I care about, that’s what should matter to you too. Have I told you to care about what you wear, what you eat, where you live. No! So why care about these things, investing your time, efforts and anxious thoughts over these things. LAY DOWN YOUR CARES because they are not My cares. I do not worry about these things because I know how to look after My children. Ask Me what I care about and what I want you to care about.

So I asked Him and the response was immediate-

“Feeding My sheep: I gave Peter this instruction and I am giving it to you too. It is not just about teaching. For what good is saying to someone-‘be blessed!’, if you are not willing to do the blessing yourself? This is for all of life. You be the blessing. That’s your calling. I am blessing you to bless others. If that’s not your focus, you don’t care about what I want anymore. My focus is always outward: nothing hoarded or stored without breaking open. That’s why it’s time for dambusting. I am breaking people out of a hoarder’s mentality. You will be dambusters. I am breaking off scarcity thinking. You are the head and not the tail. Your expectations need to change for this season, for I am the Great Giver and not the Great Taker. But I will not give to hoarders because they operate out of fear. Lisa, there is endless capacity in My Kingdom. It never runs out. Elisha proved that to the widow. The minute you run of of vessels, the pouring stops. To be an empty vessel you need to keep pouring out, not hoarding and keeping it in. So let out what I am putting in. LET IT OUT.

Do not let fear dictate how and who you can bless. Let blessing be the focus of your day. Ask me how and who. There is a never-ending supply of people who need what you have and I will keep bringing them to you. Don’t let them go away empty-handed, for this will break My heart. Care about what I care about, for this pleases Me greatly. Look to the Scriptures, you will see My heart and intent written on every page. You won’t have to look far to see where My cares lie.”

Oh I am so aware of my weaknesses, my puny response to a great big God, so I ask Him: ‘Invade my heart. Conquer me.’

“A surrendered heart BENDS. A surrendered heart BOWS. A surrendered heart SUBMITS. A surrendered heart GIVES. Nothing held back, for a surrendered heart recognises that All is Mine. Consider yourself Mine. Not your own. Lisa, you have Me. You don’t need to fight for Me. All I have is already yours. I gave Myself for you. You already have access to all areas. That’s what I paid for. The question is, will you come in? Will you believe it? Will you stand firm on it? You are not a wave tossed about on the sea. You are rooted and grounded in My love.”

How can I best honour you, I ask?

“Use what I have given you. Don’t let it go to waste. There are gems inside of you that people have yet to see. You don’t even know they are there. I will expose them as you surrender to My process and My ways.”

Exposure. Not an easy word. It kind of makes my skin crawl. I baulk at the thought. But God’s exposure is not like the worlds. It does not come to destroy or humiliate but to reveal truth and bring light. It is the prerequisite to healing what is broken. Sometimes the plaster needs ripped off in order for the wound to heal. So I determine to submit to my Master’s ways, even if it hurts.

Scriptures

Matthew 6:31 (NIV)

 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ ³² For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.

James 2:15-17 (NIV)

Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food.  If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it?  In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

Isaiah 61:8-9 (NLT)

“For I, the Lord, love justice. I hate robbery and wrongdoing. I will faithfully reward my people for their suffering
and make an everlasting covenant with them. Their descendants will be recognized and honored among the nations. Everyone will realize that they are a people the Lord has blessed.”

Romans 8:32 (NIV)

 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?

Luke 15:31 (NIV)

“‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours.