Preparing for Worship // February 18, 2018

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Like many children growing up, I received an allowance when I was a kid. It started out at $1 a week (which I would routinely save up until I had enough to buy a Star Wars action figure). As my age and responsibilities grew, so did my allowance (and what I chose to spend it on), and it became natural to view my allowance as my own little paycheck for doing my chores. Like an eight-year-old employee, I took out the trash, cleaned my room, and vacuumed the stairs. And my parents paid me my salary. But whenever I forgot to do my chores, something strange would happen: I did not lose my allowance. This isn’t to say that there weren’t consequences, but these consequences usually took the shape of a loss of privileges (No TV; no playing with friends, etc.), not a loss of my allowance.

I wonder if we can have a similar view of God’s blessings. We assume that there is a one-to-one correlation between our actions and God’s blessing. When difficulty comes, we automatically assume that it’s because we have sinned and done something wrong. When good times come, we automatically assume it’s because we have our lives together and are doing all the right things. This is not to deny that God disciplines us (Hebrews 12:17-11). But if God disciplined us and blessed us in direct correlation to our sin and righteousness, there would be a whole lot more discipline and a whole lot less blessing going around. Also, there is rarely a clear connection between God’s discipline and some particular sin (one of the main points of the book of Job).

Instead, God knows what we need and gives us both discipline and blessing in accordance with what He knows we need, in all things drawing believers closer to Himself. So whether we’re experiencing our Father’s discipline or His blessing, He is at work in our lives giving us more love for Himself and making us more like Christ. This means we can embrace the pain and suffering of life as the loving discipline of our Father and accept the joy and prosperity of life as His gracious blessing. And as we come to worship, we can worship Him in all circumstances, because all circumstances are the result of His loving care.

THE WORD

Scripture: Deuteronomy 9:1-29
Sermon: Do Not Confuse God’s Blessing with Your Merited Reward

SONGS

A Debtor to Mercy Alone  (Indelible Grace)
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Lord I Need You  (Matt Maher)
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Come Boldly to the Throne of Grace (Red Mountain Music)
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Song of Preparation: New Wonders  (Sandra McCracken)
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Song for the Supper: Come Thou Fount (Traditional)
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Song of Response: Before the Throne of God Above (Sovereign Grace Worship)
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