The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him in Ephesians 3:1,
"For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles—"
Paul wrote this letter while a prisoner in Rome. He was the chosen emissary of Jesus Christ to the Gentile peoples and yet, here he sat in prison. As the apostle to the Gentiles he had a burning desire to take the gospel message throughout the known world. This is clearly evidenced by his efforts chronicled in the book of Acts and his letters we have available. I suspect there were times Paul chafed at not being free whle imprisoned, to take the gospel to further places he had not yet visited. There must have been times he struggled with his imprisonment.
However, Paul provides his thoughts about potential imprisonment in his farewell to the Ephesian elders in Acts 20:23-24. There he says to them, "I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me. However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace." Paul cared not that his efforts in bringing the gospel message to the Gentiles might result in imprisonment and hardships. What was of highest priority for Paul was to "finish the race and complete the task" the Lord had given him.
We live in a day where the appeal to come to Jesus Christ is built on what is in it for the potential convert. It is often preached that if we would but submit to the lordship of Jesus Christ, our lives could become full of the things we desire. Jesus will heal us of our illnesses, he will bless us with prosperity. He can give us the best marriage ever and insure our children turn out all right. He can help us get that job or promotion. He can fill our need for the spiritual component to an otherwise full and healthful lifestyle.
Where is the burning desire to please the Lord who died for me - to save me from God's justice - in any of those things? While the Lord may indeed bless us in many ways, where is the passion of overwhelming heartfelt appreciation and gratitude for his sacrificial love for me in those things? Where is the desire to please him who has done so much for me? Where is the fear of God in any of those things?
The passion Paul felt for the Lord is something that needs some re-igniting in our day. The perspective of "what is in this for the Lord?" needs to replace the "what is in it for me?" perspective. Our Lord is due no less. He loved us. He left his lofty position in heaven to come and rescue us. He lived as a man and died a miserable and cruel death to pay for my sins. He died and ascended into heaven and sits on the throne at the right hand of God the Father! Our Lord is simply due no less than our full passion to serve and please him. This is where genuine worship resides. Not in the polished performance of well-dressed people on a platform singing shallow "worship" songs that resemble toothpaste jingles but in the burning desire to love our Lord, to live for him, to serve him in a way that speaks to "what is in it for the Lord"! He is due no less!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share your thoughts of worship with us from your Bible reading today. We'd love to hear from you!
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
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