This devotional comes from the book How to Worship a King by Zach Neese
I wanted to share a few parts that stood out to me from this book.
" Let me ask you a question. Do you want to be used by God? Most Christians would answer with resounding "Yes!" Well, let me ask you another question. Do you want to bee used by your spouse? Do you want to be used by your friends? Do you want to be used by your church? Would you like to be used by your government? No way! When you use someone, you treat that person like a tool, not a person.
I have good news for you. God doesn't want to use you. He wants to know you. He wants to be known by you. God used Pharaoh; He knew Moses. God used Saul, but He knew David. God used Judas, but He knew Jesus.
God didn't create you so that He could use you. He created you so that He could know you.
... He sent His Son so that He could have relationships with people who believe— not objects.
Religion teaches us to view ourselves as tools. If we perform well, we are pleasing and useful to God. If we perform poorly, we are of no use and can be put aside or thrown away. God will choose a tool that works better than we do.
... Religion teaches us God will throw us away when we are no longer functioning well. . the religious heart says, " I must do my duty in order to be of value to God." Worship is the opposite or religion. The heart of worship says, "Jesus proved I am of value to God. I serve Him because He is also of value to me." Religion teaches us that our function determines our worth and our identity ( I am because I do). Worship teaches us that our identity determines our worth and our function ( I do because I am). And God determines our identity. "
[ How to Worship a King by Zach Neese. Chapter one: Your Part to Play ]
In discussing this portion of the book with a few I noticed it was hard to let go of "being used by God" We want Him to use us in a way that would help others know and recognize Him. So to switch our brains from "being used" to being known by Him. We can take a look at who we were called to be. After saying yes to Jesus we became priests.
Old Testament priests.. were the levites they were in charge of the tabernacle they would set it up and take it down. This space for people to enter in and encounter God. We are priests, We are the temple of the Lord. Maintaining and stewarding the meeting place for people to come and encounter the Lord. We don't have to set up tents and tear them down moving them from place to place. Our role in the Kingdom is in the priesthood. As we walk and move about people can encounter the Lord. They can be known by Him and know Him. If the language changed in out brains from being used as a tool to our role in the Kingdom. Having a relationship with Him not being used as a tool but knowing and being know so that others can come and know Him. This is a role we get to play the Identity set before us by the Lord and no one else.
My Prayer for You
Father, Thank you for sending Jesus to pay the price so that we may have relationship with you. Soften our hearts to be known by you, switch our thinking from "God use me" to "Come know me". We want to help lead others into worship and knowing you. Help us to be sensitive to you Holy Spirit with eyes to see those who are in need of an encounter with you. Show us how to walk as priests inviting your people into relationship with you. Lead us, guide us into scripture to know more about you, spending time with you. We thank you that your desire is to know us and not to use us as a tool to be tossed to the side when we are no longer useful. We are so thankful that is not how you operate. In Jesus' Holy and precious name amen.
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