As I was reading through "Unceasing Worship" by Harold Best; (it's amazing how much you learn when you're not trying to fake your way through a 10 page paper) I came across a quote that struck me with an instance realization I've never had before.
"We were created continuously outpouring. Note that I did not say we were created to be continuous outpourers. Nor can I dare imply that we were created to worship. This would suggest that God is an incomplete person whose need for something outside himself (worship) completes his sense of himself."
In other words God created us constantly worshipping; not because He needs our worship, but because He is a continuous outpourer and we are created in his image. You see, God is the original "continuous outpourer" even before He chose to create He gives, reveals, and pours Himself out to His Triune Self that continues in the glorious work of being I AM THAT I AM. Since God created us continuously outpouring ourselves, as He is continuously outpouring our worship of Him is not a service to Him, it's not even a response to His action. (However, it is His action that causes our outpouring to be redirected toward our Creator.) Our outpouring is simply who we are. It's why people long for community, discussion, interaction. We seek to pour ourselves out, and that outpouring is for the glory of our god. Yes, I realize I didn't capitalize "god", because our outpouring isn't always directed toward the glory of God, the continuous outpourer. Rather, it most often is to our own needs, desires, and selfishness.
God desires our worship; to be giving, pouring and revealing in the glorious interchange that that comes so naturally to us, as ceaseless worshippers, but He does not need it. It also occurs to me that the most repulsive action is when you go through the motions of an outpouring exchange with God, but continue to outpour to other gods (Hosea 6:6).
How can we focus our outpouring toward God and help others do the same? Let me know if you have any ideas.
"We were created continuously outpouring. Note that I did not say we were created to be continuous outpourers. Nor can I dare imply that we were created to worship. This would suggest that God is an incomplete person whose need for something outside himself (worship) completes his sense of himself."
In other words God created us constantly worshipping; not because He needs our worship, but because He is a continuous outpourer and we are created in his image. You see, God is the original "continuous outpourer" even before He chose to create He gives, reveals, and pours Himself out to His Triune Self that continues in the glorious work of being I AM THAT I AM. Since God created us continuously outpouring ourselves, as He is continuously outpouring our worship of Him is not a service to Him, it's not even a response to His action. (However, it is His action that causes our outpouring to be redirected toward our Creator.) Our outpouring is simply who we are. It's why people long for community, discussion, interaction. We seek to pour ourselves out, and that outpouring is for the glory of our god. Yes, I realize I didn't capitalize "god", because our outpouring isn't always directed toward the glory of God, the continuous outpourer. Rather, it most often is to our own needs, desires, and selfishness.
God desires our worship; to be giving, pouring and revealing in the glorious interchange that that comes so naturally to us, as ceaseless worshippers, but He does not need it. It also occurs to me that the most repulsive action is when you go through the motions of an outpouring exchange with God, but continue to outpour to other gods (Hosea 6:6).
How can we focus our outpouring toward God and help others do the same? Let me know if you have any ideas.
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