In the beginning, worship was part of God's plan for relationship with man. Even the original sin was a simple matter of obedience. Adam and Eve could choose whether to continue in relationship of obedience and intimacy with God, or they could choose to ignore Him and go their own way. Ever since then, the issue of obedience has been at the crux of worship. In the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve choose disobedience (Genesis 3), in the Garden of Gethsemane, Christ choose obedience (Mark 14:32-36), even unto death (Philippians 2:8).

Even in the face of death, Christ worshiped the Father by being obedient. Before going out to the Mount of Olives, he and his disciples sang (Mark 14:26) and then went to pray. Abraham, likewise, understood that obedience would be the measure of his stature before God. He knew that even in offering his son, God himself was ultimately looking for worship from obedience. Abraham recognized his trip that day, as one of worship (Genesis 22:5). Abraham recognized that true worship would cost him everything he held dear. He placed the owness on obedience to God (Hebrews 11:19), and left the responsibility of the results of his worship to God, with God.

David, knew also that any true worship had to involve personal cost and sacrifice. David knew there was a price to be paid (1 Chronicles 21:24) for following God, and that each person has to give up their own sacrifice. Offering another person's gift, was unacceptable.

Finally, Christ paid the ultimate price (1 Peter 3:18) for our freedom to worship, in which we can draw near (Hebrews 4:16) to the Living God.

May we echo David in his cry to bring his own commitment as the sacrifice given to God in worship:

The above scripture is Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. All rights reserved.

The Daily Worship Thought was written and Copyright © 1997 by Kim Anthony Gentes. Used by permission.