Reflection of Affection

Worship, it has been said, is a continuous outpouring of ourselves.  An overflow of my heart, a pursuit and exultation of that which I desire, in essence, a reflection of my affections.  If this is the case, then how often can I honestly say that my worship speaks to a desire for God?  How often am I living in such a way as to exemplify to others the greatness, majesty, and beauty of His character and being?  Is this the story of my life, or am I more often caught up in the "stuff of life," that which the Bible would call worldly desires, or lusts of the flesh?  I have been studying Amos the last couple of months, which has been interesting, and convicting.  In this book, God is speaking through His prophet Amos to the people of Israel.  Israel; the people He has called to be holy, to be set apart, to be different than the world around them.  And this same people whom God had called and who had seen Him work in mighty ways time after time had walked away from Him.  Oh yes, they still did their religious duty.  The kept the Sabbath, they made their sacrifices, they did what they were "supposed" to do.  But the had no affection for God.  And this showed itself in how they lived.  The trampled the poor, they became complacent and lazy in their lifestyles (for which God calls the women cows...seriously), they took bribes, and they hated the truth.  They became a religious people who hated God.  Worshiping God was not something they did, not who they were.  And here I am, 3,000 years later, living the same way.
How often we lose sight of what God has called us to!  Following Jesus is not something I do, living the life He has called me to is not something I do to gain acceptance from Him.  These things ought to be reflections of who I now am because of Jesus reconciling me to God.  I follow Jesus because I love Him, and I love Him because He first loved me.  I desire to live a holy life because the God who I was separated from on account of my sin has reconciled me to Himself, and He desires holiness from me.  My identity is not found in the religious stuff I do-my identity is that found in the God who saved me.  My life should reflect my chief affection, and my affection should be for the only One who is worthy of it.

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