Chaplain Corner Submissions - Ben Caudill Chaplain's Corner

THE HEART OF WORSHIP

So many of us go to church on Sunday, shake hands with our brothers and sisters and then go out into the world and become ‘worldly’. When in the tabernacle we worship but when in the real world we forget. The church is filled with Christian brothers and sisters who come together to worship God, seeking the heart of worship, which includes serving God by deed.

I recall a voice in the wilderness preaching to the loss and baptizing the sinner. All four canonical gospels refer to John the Baptist’s ministry. Christ came into the world to save the unsaved. In Luke 19:10, the Bible states, “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” Matthew 18:11 states the same thing. “For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost.”I do not think it coincidence that the Bible is filled with examples of Christ coming to save lost souls.

Sometimes we have a tendency to forget our mission and commission. “And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.’ Amen.” (Matthew 28:18-20) Christ calls upon his followers to become fishers of men and to go out amongst them and bring them to Him. We catch them and HE cleans them. In order to do that, you must be around a body of water. So it is in saving souls. He set the example by what HE did. He was known to run with tax collectors, harlots, and those of questionable character. By example He showed them the way to eternal life. By His words He converted those lost and reminded those who professed to follow Him to give up their possessions and seek the kingdom of God.

The heart of the matter is worship. The heart of worship is giving unto God according to the gifts given unto you. Each of us is blessed with a special gift that we cannot keep. We must give it away to another. The greatest gift we can give is to lead another to Christ. By demonstration of a true Christian life, we can share our faith. Be a blessing to others and let your light shine will make others desire what you have. General Jackson led General Ewell to Christ by his dedication to God. “If that is religion, I must have it.” Our lives speak volumes to those watching. Sometimes we are unaware of the eyes that watch us. They are upon you and if you falter in your testimony of words not matching your deeds, then you have become an obstacle.

There is a man who goes to the streets of his city and invites the homeless to church. There is a woman who visits the sick and shut in three times a week. There is a sixteen year old cancer patient who goes to the pediatric wing of the hospital when he is able and ministers to the little ones. There is a man who volunteers his time at a Detox Center and shares the good news of Christ. Why, because there was a man from Galilee who walked among the sick, the shut in, the lost, mentally ill and offered hope.

Friend, can we not do the same? This week let us reach out to a lost soul, talk to a stranger, share the good news of Christ and shake hands with an enemy seeking forgiveness on your part. This week, live as Christ, (BE Christ-like) pick up your cross, and follow the greatest example ever given: The examples and life of Jesus Christ. The heart of worship begins in the soul. It’s not about you, it’s all about HIM. The old general