Worship Opportunities

Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. Romans 12:1

High school carries a number of significant experiences in my mind. The friendships, the clubs, the flashcard-making, the successes and failures, the extra-credit efforts, the sports…so much of it shaped who I am, but so much of it has also made a mental exit. Though many academic aspects have faded, one life application I learned has gone beyond the pages of a textbook, etching itself deep into my heart and mind. 

It all started in tenth grade, when my Algebra 2 teacher explained that a certain phrase would not be used in her class. No, it wasn’t something inappropriate. It wasn’t foul language. But it might be something that will make you cringe. 

The phrase she refused to use is this: “WORD PROBLEMS.” 

What does that phrase do to you? Does it make you groan? Does it excite you? Being the brilliant teacher that she was, and recognizing this English/math collision and the word “problems” could prompt some students to wave the white flag of surrender, she called these math applications WORD OPPORTUNITIES. Doesn’t that change your perspective? I don’t like problems, but I love being given an opportunity!

If you’re reading this, you’ve probably had your turn at solving word problems opportunities. You, too, have been seated upon that rock-hard chair and propped your elbows onto a wobbly desk, trying to stay focused as your teacher presented math concepts and their applications to real life. You were taught how to solve an equation like 5×2=10, but then you had to consider what that meant in the real world. You had to think about a simple question regarding, say, apple quantities. Susie has 5 apples. Johnny has twice as many apples as Susie. How many apples does Johnny have? Johnny has 10 apples. Easy, right? (You might be thinking, “I don’t really care about how many apples Johnny or Susie had!”)

But as you advanced in math levels, the applications built. The problems opportunities became more complicated. You realized some of the questions brought confusion and difficulty. 

Though I eventually threw in the towel on my math-mastery ladder-climbing, my Algebra 2 teacher launched me into life with a more profound application. Her WORD PROBLEMS OPPORTUNITIES compelled me of late to consider how every circumstance (good or bad, simple or challenging, joyful or sorrowful, loss or gain) in life is my WORSHIP OPPORTUNITY. 

But what exactly is worship? Who are we to worship? Why? And how? Paul gives answers to these questions in his letter to the church at Rome. In the first 11 chapters of this New Testament book, Paul reminds his audience of some “textbook truths.” 

• who God is (Romans 1:20)
• who man is (Romans 1:21-32, Romans 3:23)
• the the vertical problems caused in the relationship God intends for man (Romans 3:9-18)
• what God did about it (Romans 5:6-8)
• what His Son has accomplished (Romans 3:24-26, 5:11)
• the Holy Spirit’s role (Romans 8:26-27) 
• the tight grip of God’s love (Romans 8:38-39)
• The importance of faith (Romans 10:9-10)

In chapter 12, there is a shift from foundational Christian truths to their implications for everyday living.

 Therefore, I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.

Paul is saying, as a result of what you now know, it’s time to apply it! It’s time to live worshipfully! Worship, therefore, is a heart transformed by the truths of who God is and what He’s done, overflowing to a transformed life lived for him, by His grace! It involves living (we are living, breathing human beings) and it involves sacrifice: dying to self, and living for the One we were created to worship!

The applications…the worship opportunities… are endless! 

Some of what you’ll read here is polished and organized. Some of it is not. I’ve intentionally included it all because that’s how life is! Sometimes it’s a little more refined and sometimes it’s a little more jumbled and messy. We can come to God with all of it! Just as we are! What’s most important is that we COME to Him! 

My prayer is that we would consider every breath we take as being wholly for God…that no matter what life circumstances we are in, we would say with joy, “THIS is my worship opportunity!”