Worship Through Obedience

Thursday, December 7th
Worship through Obedience
By: Chrissy Cooney

Last Christmas I was presented with an opportunity for obedience.  I was at the final stop of a gift-finding mission.  I was overheated, tired of carrying bags, and so very ready to be done.  As it happened, the cashier at the store where I was checking out was having a moment too.  
She, too, was done.

I watched as she rolled her eyes at a customer, let a cuss word fly toward the next in line, as she shrugged her shoulders with indifference when a customer suggested a price may be incorrect.
And then my opportunity for obedience came. My turn at the register. The cashier sighed, her body language screaming.  Frustration rose within me. And then I felt the urging of the Holy Spirit.  A gentle reminder. Jesus loves her. He sees her. He died for her.

Micah 6:8 says, “What does the Lord require of you?  To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” 

In this opportunity for obedience, I was challenged to consider showing compassion, putting myself in a lesser place, and showing love.

I said, “Thank you for working today.  I know this isn’t any easy day to work.”  Immediately her eyes filled with tears. It was like a simple kind word was all she needed. We chatted for a minute, a smile crossed her face, and I was on my way.

Here’s the cool part.  When we obey God, we are worshiping Him.  It’s like we’re saying, Oh Lord, You are so worthy that I would rather do things Your way than my own (even when it doesn’t seem to make sense, even when it’s difficult, even when it means I put myself last).
And at Christmastime, I can’t help but think of Mary’s act of worship.  When the angel Gabriel told her that she would conceive and give birth to Jesus she responded, “Behold, I am the servant of the lord; let it be to me according to your word.” (Luke 1:38).   She obeyed when it was inconvenient, when she didn’t know how it would all turn out, when the decision was difficult.

This Christmas let’s worship like Mary by obeying God’s commands.  Let’s check our lives to make sure they are lining up with His expectations and check our actions to be sure they are ascribing worth to the One who gave everything for us.