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Develop a heart of worship with today’s life lesson

“How wonderful it is, how pleasant for God’s people to live together in harmony!” (Psalm 133:1, Good News? translation)

Before the orchestra conductor makes an appearance, the violinist stands. She asks the principal oboe player to sound a “tuning A,” a note which the oboist plays the same each time because of the way the instrument is made. Soon the audience hears what seems like a cacophony of sound. Oboes, cellos, trombones all seek to match that perfect note, tuning their own instruments until they hear that their note is the same as the oboe’s.  When they begin their performance, they play in perfect harmony.

In the 18th century, Robert Robinson wrote the words to the hymn, “Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing.” One phrase lingers: “Tune my heart to sing Thy grace.” I wonder how often we attempt to sing—or more commonly, speak—of God’s grace without proper tuning. We have not taken time to look closely into our hearts to see if we are “in tune” with our maestro, our Master.

And what music would the world outside the doors of the church hear if each of us listened to the perfect pitch of the Holy Spirit? A hungry, waiting world is dying to hear the perfect music played on the instruments of God’s grace.

Question: Do you need to “tune” in to God today?

“And the LORD said to me, ‘Say to them, “Do not go up nor fight, for I am not among you; otherwise you will be defeated before your enemies.”‘ “So I spoke to you, but you would not listen. Instead you rebelled against the command of the LORD, and acted presumptuously and went up into the hill country. “The Amorites who lived in that hill country came out against you and chased you as bees do, and crushed you from Seir to Hormah.” Deuteronomy 1:42-44

A whistle can get our attention quickly, wouldn’t you agree? Its sound is used to control unruly behavior, signal the start or finish of an event, or interrupt the action. Blown by a teacher on a playground, a police officer at an intersection, or a sports referee, the whistle is a signal for us to stop and learn why it was blown.

What does God use to get our attention? Sometimes His tool is a restless spirit, which might appear as some vague dissatisfaction with our life. Other times God uses another person’s words to help us recognize that He is speaking to us.

Blessing us in an unusual way is another method our heavenly Father employs. (Romans 2:4) In each case, we are to stop and ask, “Lord, are You trying to say something to me?”

God sometimes allows our prayers to remain unanswered in order to prompt us to sharpen our focus on Him. Or He may say no to our request in order to gain our attention.

Disappointments, difficulties, and failures are occasionally used by Him for the same reason. If we are wise, we will quickly seek Him out. In tragedies, financial reversals, and physical affliction, God waits to see if we will turn to Him and ask, “God, are You speaking to me?”

God deserves our undivided attention, but we get preoccupied. He waits to speak with us, but we are busy looking at our circumstances. Allow the events of life – both the pleasant and the painful – to prompt you to turn to God and ask, “Lord, are You asking for my attention?”

Question: How has God been trying to get your attention lately? Are you ready to listen to Him?

About this Author: Charles Stanley

The request came when I was twenty. “Can you address our church youth group?” We aren’t talking citywide crusade here. Think more in terms of a dozen kids around a West Texas campfire. I was new to the faith, hence new to the power of the faith. I told my story, and, lo and behold, they listened! One even approached me afterward and said something like, “That moved me, Max.” My chest lifted, and my feet shifted just a step in the direction of the spotlight.

God has been nudging me back ever since.

Some of you don’t relate. The limelight never woos you. You and John the Baptist sing the same tune: “He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less” (John 3:30, NLT). God bless you. You might pray for the rest of us. We applause-aholics have done it all: dropped names, sung loudly, dressed up to look classy, dressed down to look cool, quoted authors we’ve never read, spouted Greek we’ve never studied. For the life of me, I believe Satan trains battalions of demons to whisper one question in our ears: “What are people thinking of you?”

A deadly query. What they think of us matters not. What they think of God matters all. God will not share his glory with another (Isaiah 42:8). Next time you need a nudge away from the spotlight, remember: You are simply one link in a chain, an unimportant link at that.
Remember the other messengers God has used?

A donkey to speak to Balaam (Numbers 22:28).

A staff-turned-snake to stir Pharaoh (Exodus 7:10).

He used stubborn oxen to make a point about reverence and a big fish to make a point about reluctant preachers (I Samuel 6:1-12; Jonah 1:1-17)

God doesn’t need you and me to do his work. We are expedient messengers, ambassadors by his kindness, not by our cleverness.

It’s not about us, and it angers him when we think it is.

We who are entrusted with the gospel dare not seek applause but best deflect applause. For our message is about Someone else.

From It’s Not About Me
Copyright (Thomas Nelson, 2007), Max Lucado
Used by permission

Question: How can we seek to be humble, without paradoxically becoming prideful of our humility?

About this Author: Max Lucado