Tuesday, March 28, 2006

Abraham (and the unnamed servant- Genesis 24) and worship

Reading in the Abraham story yesterday, I was struck over Abraham as a worshiper of YHWH. Every time you turn around, in the narrative, Abraham is building an altar to YHWH and calling on YHWH. And YHWH has been calling Abraham to walk faithfully before him and be blameless. Along with the call to leave his own country to go to a land the LORD (YHWH) would show him, Abraham is given promises as well. That his seed would be like the stars in the sky in number. That in his seed all nations would be blessed.

The unnamed servant who is ordered by Abraham to go back to his relatives to get his son Isaac, a wife, is also a worshiper of Yahweh. He is a man of prayer and when YHWH answers, he bows down in worship. Surely he learned of Abraham's god and of devotion to that god as God, from Abraham.

To worship God. At heart it is a response to God's greatness and his goodness. It involves seeking him. Calling on his name. Honoring and exalting his name. Remembering to and before him, who he is and what he has done- and what he is doing and will do. So that our lives might be lived out accordingly. In view of him and his salvation and promises in Jesus.

God. You alone are worthy of all our praise and adoration. And you have done great things for us in your Son- Jesus. Teach us to be worshipers of you. That we would take the special times along the way, to set up our "altar" and acknowledge and bless you. By our words, and then by our lives. Amen.

2 comments:

Scot McKnight said...

Ted,
Kris and I have missed your comments at Jesus Creed.

Ted M. Gossard said...

Scot, Thanks for saying that. I often feel like I have nothing to offer that's helpful on that site. I just did send a couple of comments, rather off hand, though I tried. (Unfortunately I failed to see your comment you had sent this evening before mine).

Sometimes it's hard for me to keep going on this site. I feel like I've failed God in my life. But he takes us where we are and is at work, for sure.

Thanks again to you and Kris.