Worship

I read something today that challenged my thinking.  Our Pastor had given me a little book called "52 Hebrew Words Every Christian Should Know."  What a neat little book this is.  It's chock full of good information and new understandings (at least to me) that comes from delving in deeper to the meaning behind the words used in the Bible.  Our translations (for me that's English) often lack the color of the original Hebrew in some of the words translated.  

Today's word was AVAD.  This word can be translated in two ways.  One is "worship."  The other is "serve."  Hmmm.  Now that's an interesting concept.  Worship and serve come from the same word.  While not a completely new concept to me, I've never seen it in black and white, so to speak.  I've never seen the why behind the fact of service as worship which I've heard preached before.  For me, the Hebrew word "AVAD" really fleshed out the vague concept that I've heard about.  The book brought up the verse Exodus 34:21.  “Six days you shall work, but on the seventh day you shall rest; in plowing time and in harvest you shall rest."   The word used here for work is "AVAD."  Most of the time the word is translated as serve or work.  But ancient Hebrew also tells us the word meant to worship.

So what happens when we combine our work, our everyday stuff, jobs, chores, church service, taking care of others....with worship?  What happens to our attitude when we see all of that stuff as worship?  How would it transform all we do?  I think the answer would be a pretty amazing shift in the way we see and carry out the lofty and the mundane aspects of each day.  From washing dishes to cleaning the church to preaching a sermon or feeding the homeless...each act as worship.  

Colossians 3:23-24 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. 

This all sounds like a God plan to me.  So many small tasks we do each day without even a thought...but to bring the light and sound, the attitude of worship to each of them...wow.   I'm thinking they would be a lot less tedious and tiresome.  Each would take on a profound importance because with each task we would be honoring God.  

Lord, You amaze me with Your thoughts and wisdom.  I am in awe when You bring these concepts to life for us.  Thank You so much.  Help us to use each moment to worship You.  I dedicate this day to You, worship You in this moment.  Hallelujah!  In Jesus' Name.  Amen.