标杆人生 第10天 敬拜的中心？
The Heart of Worship
Give yourselves to God.... Surrender your whole being to him to be used for righteous purposes. Romans 6:13 (TEV)
The heart of worship is surrender.
Surrender is an unpopular word, disliked almost as much as the word submission 1. It implies losing, and no one wants to be a loser. Surrender evokes 2 the unpleasant images of admitting defeat in battle, forfeiting 3 a game, or yielding to a stronger opponent. The word is almost always used in a negative context. Captured criminals surrender to authorities.
In today's competitive culture we are taught to never give up and never give in-so we don't hear much about surrendering. If winning is everything, surrendering is unthinkable. We would rather talk about winning, succeeding, overcoming, and conquering than yielding, submitting, obeying, and surrendering. But surrendering to God is the heart of worship. It is the natural response to God's amazing love and mercy. We give ourselves to him, not out of fear or duty, but in love, "because he first loved us."
Offering yourself to God is what worship is all about.
After spending eleven chapters of the book of Romans explaining God's incredible grace to us, Paul urges us to fully 4 surrender our lives to God in worship: "So then, my friends, because of God's great mercy to us ... offer yourselves as a living sacrifice to God, dedicated 5 to his service and pleasing to him. This is the true worship that you should offer."
True worship-bringing God pleasure-happens when you give yourself completely to God. Notice the first and last words of that verse are the same: offer.
Offering yourself to God is what worship is all about.
This act of personal surrender is called many things: consecration 6, making Jesus your Lord, taking up your cross, dying to self, yielding to the Spirit. What matters is that you do it, not what you call it. God wants your life-all of it. Ninety-five percent is not enough.
There are three barriers that block our total surrender to God: fear, pride, and confusion. We don't realize how much God loves us, we want to control our own lives, and we misunderstand the meaning of surrender.
Can I trust God? Trust is an essential ingredient to surrender. You won't surrender to God unless you trust him, but you can't trust him until you know him better. Fear keeps us from surrendering, but love casts out all fear. The more you realize how much God loves you, the easier surrender becomes.
How do you know God loves you? He gives you many evidences: God says he loves you;' you're never out of his sight; he cares about every detail of your life; he gave you the capacity to enjoy all kinds of pleasure; he has good plans for your life; he forgives you; and he is lovingly patient with you. God loves you infinitely 7 more than you can imagine.
The greatest expression of this is the sacrifice of God's Son for you. "God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us." If you want to know how much you matter to God, look at Christ with his arms outstretched on the cross, saying, "I love you this much! I'd rather die than live without you."
God is not a cruel slave driver or a bully 8 who uses brute 9 force to coerce 10 us into submission. He doesn't try to break our will, but woos us to himself so that we might offer ourselves freely to him. God is a lover and a liberator 11, and surrendering to him brings freedom, not bondage 12. When we completely surrender ourselves to Jesus, we discover that he is not a tyrant 13, but a savior; not a boss, but a brother; not a dictator, but a friend.
Admitting our limitations. A second barrier to total surrender is our pride. We don't want to admit that we're just creatures and not in charge of everything. It is the oldest temptation: "You'll be like God!"' That desire-to have complete control-is the cause of so much stress in our lives. Life is a struggle, but what most people don't realize is that our struggle, like Jacob's, is really a struggle with God! We want to be God, and there's no way we are going to win that struggle.
A. W. Tozer said, "The reason why many are still troubled, still seeking, still making little forward progress is because they haven't yet come to the end of themselves. We're still trying to give orders, and interfering 14 with God's work within us."
We aren't God and never will be. We are humans. It is when we try to be God that we end up most like Satan, who desired the same thing.
We accept our humanity intellectually, but not emotionally. When faced with our own
limitations, we react with irritation 15, anger, and resentment 16. We want to be taller (or shorter), smarter, stronger, more talented, more beautiful, and wealthier. We want to have it all and do it all, and we become upset when it doesn't happen. Then when we notice that God gave others characteristics we don't have, we respond with envy, jealousy 17, and self-pity.
What it means to surrender. Surrendering to God is not passive resignation, fatalism, or an excuse for laziness. It is not accepting the status quo. It may mean the exact opposite: sacrificing your life or suffering in order to change what needs to be changed. God often calls surrendered people to do battle on his behalf. Surrendering is not for cowards or doormats. Likewise, it does not mean giving up rational thinking. God would not waste the mind he gave you! God does not want robots to serve him.
Surrendering is not repressing your personality. God wants to use your unique personality. Rather than its being diminished, surrendering enhances it. C. S. Lewis observed, "The more we let God take us over, the more truly ourselves we become-because he made us. He invented all the different people that you and I were intended to be.... It is when I turn to Christ, when I give up myself to His personality, that I first begin to have a real personality of my own."
Surrendering is best demonstrated in obedience 18. You say "yes, Lord" to whatever he asks of you. To say "no, Lord" is to speak a contradiction. You can't call Jesus your Lord when you refuse to obey him. After a night of failed fishing, Simon modeled surrender when Jesus told him to try again: "Master, we've worked hard all night and haven't caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.' Surrendered people obey God's word, even if it doesn't make sense.
Another aspect of a fully surrendered life is trust. Abraham followed God's leading without knowing where it would take him. Hannah waited for God's perfect timing 19 without knowing when. Mary expected a miracle without knowing how. Joseph trusted God's purpose without knowing why circumstances happened the way they did. Each of these people were fully surrendered to God.
You know you're surrendered to God when you rely on God to work, things out instead of trying to manipulate others, force your agenda, and control the situation. You let go and let God work. You don't have to always be "in charge." The Bible says, "Surrender yourself to the Lord, and wait patiently for him."
Instead of trying harder, you trust more. You also know you're surrendered when you don't react to criticism and rush to defend yourself. Surrendered hearts show up best in relationships. You don't edge others out, you don't demand your rights, and you aren't self-serving when you're surrendered.
The most difficult area to surrender for many people is their money. Many have thought, "I
want to live for God but I also want to earn enough money to live comfortably and retire someday." Retirement 20 is not the goal of a surrendered life, because it competes with God for the primary attention of our lives. Jesus said, "You cannot serve both God and money" and "Wherever your treasure is, your heart will be also."
The supreme 21 example of self-surrender is Jesus. The night before his crucifixion Jesus surrendered himself to God's plan. He prayed, "Father, everything is possible for you. Please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will, not mine."
Jesus didn't pray, "God, if you're able to take away this pain, please do so." He had already affirmed that God can do anything! Instead he prayed, "God, if it is in your best interest to remove this suffering, please do so. But if it fulfills 23 your purpose, that's what I want, too."
Genuine surrender says, "Father, if this problem, pain, sickness, or circumstance is needed to fulfill 22 your purpose and glory in my life or in another's, please don't take it away." This level of maturity 24 does not come easy. In Jesus' case, he agonized 25 so much over God's plan that he sweat drops of blood. Surrender is hard work. In our case, it is intense warfare 26 against our self-centered nature.
The blessing 27 of surrender. The Bible is crystal clear about how you benefit when you fully surrender your life to God. First, you experience peace: "Stop quarreling with God! If you agree with him, you will have peace at last, and things will go well for you." Next, you experience freedom: "Offer yourselves to the ways of God and the freedom never quits.... [his] commands set you free to live openly in his freedom!"18 Third, you experience God's power in your life. Stubborn temptations and overwhelming problems can be defeated by Christ when given to him.
As Joshua approached the biggest battle of his life, he encountered God, fell in worship before him, and surrendered his plans. That surrender led to a stunning 28 victory at Jericho. This is the paradox 29: Victory comes through surrender. Surrender doesn't weaken you; it strengthens you. Surrendered to God, you don't have to fear or surrender to anything else. William Booth, founder 30 of the Salvation 31 Army, said, "The greatness of a man's power is in the measure of his surrender."
Surrendered people are the ones God uses. God chose Mary to be the mother of Jesus, not because she was talented or wealthy or beautiful, but because she was totally surrendered to him. When the angel explained God's improbable plan, she calmly responded, "I am the Lord's servant, and I am willing to accept whatever he wants." Nothing is more powerful than a surrendered life in the hands of God. "So give yourselves completely to God."
The best way to live. Everybody eventually surrenders to something or someone. If not to God, you will surrender to the opinions or expectations of others, to money, to resentment, to fear, or to your own pride, lusts 32, or ego 33. You were designed to worship God-and if you fail to worship him, you will create other things (idols) to give your life to. You are free to choose what you surrender to, but you are not free from the consequences of that choice. E. Stanley Jones said, "If you don't surrender to Christ, you surrender to chaos 34."
Surrender is not the best way to live; it is the only way to live. Nothing else works. All other approaches lead to frustration 35, disappointment, and self-destruction. The King James Version calls surrender "your reasonable service." Another version translates it "the most sensible way to serve God." Surrendering your life is not a foolish emotional impulse but a rational, intelligent act, the most responsible and sensible thing you can do with your life. That is why Paul said, "So
we make it our goal to please him." Your wisest moments will be those when you say yes to God.
Sometimes it takes years, but eventually you discover that the greatest hindrance 36 to God's blessing in your life is not others, it is yourself-your self-will, stubborn pride, and personal ambition. You cannot fulfill God's purposes for your life while focusing on your own plans.
If God is going to do his deepest work in you, it will begin with this. So give it all to God: your past regrets, your present problems, your future ambitions, your fears, dreams, weaknesses, habits, hurts, and hang-ups. Put Jesus Christ in the driver's seat of your life and take your hands off the steering 37 wheel. Don't be afraid; nothing under his control can ever be out of control. Mastered by Christ, you can handle anything. You will be like Paul: "I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him who infuses inner strength into me, that is, I am self-sufficient in Christ's sufficiency."
Paul's moment of surrender occurred on the Damascus road after he was knocked down by a blinding light. For others, God gets our attention with less drastic methods. Regardless, surrendering is never just a one-time event. Paul said, "I die daily." There is a moment of surrender, and there is the practice of surrender, which is moment-by-moment and lifelong. The problem with a living sacrifice is that it can crawl off the altar, so you may have to surrender your life fifty times a day. You must make it a daily habit. Jesus said, "If people want to follow me, they must give up the things they want. They must be willing to give up their lives daily to follow me."
Surrender is not the best way to live; it is the only way to live. Nothing else works.
Let me warn you: When you decide to live a totally surrendered life, that decision will be tested. Sometimes it will mean doing inconvenient 38, unpopular, costly 39, or seemingly impossible tasks. It will often mean doing the opposite of what you feel like doing.
One of the great Christian 40 leaders of the twentieth century was Bill Bright, the founder of Campus Crusade for Christ. Through Crusade staff around the world, the Four Spiritual Laws tract 41, and the Jesus film (seen by over four billion people), more than 150 million people have come to Christ and will spend eternity 42 in heaven.
I once asked Bill, "Why did God use and bless your life so much?" He said, "When I was a young man, I made a contract with God. I literally 43 wrote it out and signed my name at the bottom. It said, `From this day forward, I am a slave of Jesus Christ.'"
Have you ever signed a contract like that with God? Or are you still arguing and struggling with God over his right to do with your life as he pleases? Now is your time to surrender-to God's grace, love, and wisdom.
DAY TEN THINKING ABOUT MY PURPOSE
Point to Ponder: The heart of worship is surrender.
Verse to Remember: "Surrender your whole being to him to be used for righteous purposes."
Romans 6:13b (TEV)
Question to Consider: What area of my life am I holding back from God?
- The defeated general showed his submission by giving up his sword.战败将军缴剑表示投降。
- No enemy can frighten us into submission.任何敌人的恐吓都不能使我们屈服。
- The film evokes chilling reminders of the war. 这部电影使人们回忆起战争的可怕场景。
- Each type evokes antibodies which protect against the homologous. 每一种类型都能产生抗同种病毒的抗体。
- In his eyes, giving up his job and forfeiting his wages amounted practically to suicide. 辞事，让工钱，在祥子看就差不多等于自杀。 来自汉英文学 - 骆驼祥子
- That would be acknowledging the Railroad's ownership right away-forfeiting their rights for good. 这一来不是就等于干脆承认铁路公司的所有权-永久放弃他们自己的主权吗？
- The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
- They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。
- He dedicated his life to the cause of education.他献身于教育事业。
- His whole energies are dedicated to improve the design.他的全部精力都放在改进这项设计上了。
- "What we did had a consecration of its own. “我们的所作所为其本身是一种神圣的贡献。 来自英汉文学 - 红字
- If you do add Consecration or healing, your mana drop down lower. 如果你用了奉献或者治疗，你的蓝将会慢慢下降。 来自互联网
- There is an infinitely bright future ahead of us.我们有无限光明的前途。
- The universe is infinitely large.宇宙是无限大的。
- A bully is always a coward.暴汉常是懦夫。
- The boy gave the bully a pelt on the back with a pebble.那男孩用石子掷击小流氓的背脊。
- The aggressor troops are not many degrees removed from the brute.侵略军简直象一群野兽。
- That dog is a dangerous brute.It bites people.那条狗是危险的畜牲，它咬人。
- You can't coerce her into obedience.你不能强制她服从。
- Do you think there is any way that we can coerce them otherwise?你认为我们有什么办法强迫他们不那样吗？
- The best integrated turf quality was recorded in Ram I、Midnight、America、Connie、Liberator, which could be adopted in Shanxi. RamI、Midnight、America、Connie、Liberator综合质量表现均衡且分值较高，是山西省推广应用的重点品种。
- It is the story of a new world that became a friend and liberator of the old. 这是一部新世界的发展史，是一部后浪推前浪的历史。
- Masters sometimes allowed their slaves to buy their way out of bondage.奴隶主们有时允许奴隶为自己赎身。
- They aim to deliver the people who are in bondage to superstitious belief.他们的目的在于解脱那些受迷信束缚的人。
- The country was ruled by a despotic tyrant.该国处在一个专制暴君的统治之下。
- The tyrant was deaf to the entreaties of the slaves.暴君听不到奴隶们的哀鸣。
- He could not hide his irritation that he had not been invited.他无法掩饰因未被邀请而生的气恼。
- Barbicane said nothing,but his silence covered serious irritation.巴比康什么也不说，但是他的沉默里潜伏着阴郁的怒火。
- All her feelings of resentment just came pouring out.她一股脑儿倾吐出所有的怨恨。
- She cherished a deep resentment under the rose towards her employer.她暗中对她的雇主怀恨在心。
- Some women have a disposition to jealousy.有些女人生性爱妒忌。
- I can't support your jealousy any longer.我再也无法忍受你的嫉妒了。
- Society has a right to expect obedience of the law.社会有权要求人人遵守法律。
- Soldiers act in obedience to the orders of their superior officers.士兵们遵照上级军官的命令行动。
- The timing of the meeting is not convenient.会议的时间安排不合适。
- The timing of our statement is very opportune.我们发表声明选择的时机很恰当。
- She wanted to enjoy her retirement without being beset by financial worries.她想享受退休生活而不必为金钱担忧。
- I have to put everything away for my retirement.我必须把一切都积蓄起来以便退休后用。
- It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
- He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。
- If you make a promise you should fulfill it.如果你许诺了，你就要履行你的诺言。
- This company should be able to fulfill our requirements.这家公司应该能够满足我们的要求。
- He always fulfills his promises. 他总是履行自己的诺言。 来自辞典例句
- His own work amply fulfills this robust claim. 他自己的作品在很大程度上实现了这一正确主张。 来自辞典例句
- These plants ought to reach maturity after five years.这些植物五年后就该长成了。
- This is the period at which the body attains maturity.这是身体发育成熟的时期。
- All the time they agonized and prayed. 他们一直在忍受痛苦并且祈祷。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
- She agonized herself with the thought of her loss. 她念念不忘自己的损失，深深陷入痛苦之中。 来自辞典例句
- He addressed the audience on the subject of atomic warfare.他向听众演讲有关原子战争的问题。
- Their struggle consists mainly in peasant guerrilla warfare.他们的斗争主要是农民游击战。
- The blessing was said in Hebrew.祷告用了希伯来语。
- A double blessing has descended upon the house.双喜临门。
- His plays are distinguished only by their stunning mediocrity.他的戏剧与众不同之处就是平凡得出奇。
- The finished effect was absolutely stunning.完工后的效果非常美。
- The story contains many levels of paradox.这个故事存在多重悖论。
- The paradox is that Japan does need serious education reform.矛盾的地方是日本确实需要教育改革。
- He was extolled as the founder of their Florentine school.他被称颂为佛罗伦萨画派的鼻祖。
- According to the old tradition,Romulus was the founder of Rome.按照古老的传说，罗穆卢斯是古罗马的建国者。
- Salvation lay in political reform.解救办法在于政治改革。
- Christians hope and pray for salvation.基督教徒希望并祈祷灵魂得救。
- A miser lusts for gold. 守财奴贪财。
- Palmer Kirby had wakened late blooming lusts in her. 巴穆·柯比在她心中煽动起一片迟暮的情欲。
- He is absolute ego in all thing.在所有的事情上他都绝对自我。
- She has been on an ego trip since she sang on television.她上电视台唱过歌之后就一直自吹自擂。
- After the failure of electricity supply the city was in chaos.停电后，城市一片混乱。
- The typhoon left chaos behind it.台风后一片混乱。
- He had to fight back tears of frustration.他不得不强忍住失意的泪水。
- He beat his hands on the steering wheel in frustration.他沮丧地用手打了几下方向盘。
- Now they can construct tunnel systems without hindrance.现在他们可以顺利地建造隧道系统了。
- The heavy baggage was a great hindrance to me.那件行李成了我的大累赘。
- He beat his hands on the steering wheel in frustration. 他沮丧地用手打了几下方向盘。
- Steering according to the wind, he also framed his words more amicably. 他真会看风使舵，口吻也马上变得温和了。
- You have come at a very inconvenient time.你来得最不适时。
- Will it be inconvenient for him to attend that meeting?他参加那次会议会不方便吗？
- It must be very costly to keep up a house like this.维修这么一幢房子一定很昂贵。
- This dictionary is very useful,only it is a bit costly.这本词典很有用，左不过贵了些。
- They always addressed each other by their Christian name.他们总是以教名互相称呼。
- His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。
- He owns a large tract of forest.他拥有一大片森林。
- He wrote a tract on this subject.他曾对此写了一篇短文。