It Was Worship

25 Jul It Was Worship

“Missions exists because worship doesn’t. Worship is ultimate, not missions, because God is ultimate, not man.”

Recently in San Pedro Sula, Sparrow had the opportunity to start an English language training program for fifteen of the older youth and a few adults from the Bordos community.  They have recognized that learning English can give them many opportunities for employment as well as ministry here in Honduras.  Quite simply there was an opportunity, we felt that God was moving in that direction and we took it.  It wasn’t an overwhelming risk.  The total cost for this program is 5,000 lempiras/monthly. (or $217/month for the readers in the U.S. of A.)  Of course God supplied that need almost right away through an amazing young donor.

Last week I went and sat through a class.  What I witnessed there was amazing.  I saw young people focused and working at full capacity to learn English.  Two days later we were at a restaurant with 14 of the young men from the youth group to celebrate one of their birthdays.  Several of our summer staffers also joined the young men for the celebration.  The 14 Honduran young men practiced their simple English the entire time. It was beautiful.  I heard them trying to share their favorite scriptures in English and telling our summer staffers what those verses meant to them.

As I returned home that night I tried to unpack what was really going on.  What was that?  It was obviously more than learning English.  It was deeper.  After speaking with more team members about it and an amazing pastor from the bluegrass state who was in town, I could only come to one conclusion:

It was worship.

Those voices sharing scriptures and struggling to pronounce the word “thirsty” were simply worshipful.  At least that’s how I believe God hears it.

And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.   —Romans 12:1

There are lives being transformed here in Honduras, the USA and all over the world through the sincere focus on Jesus that are causing amazing things to happen.  This transformation is packaged in sacrifice.  This sacrifice might look like taking positive steps forward like the young men I’ve written about.  It might look like an addict fighting to stay sober and begging God for relief.  It might look like a husband and wife crying out and sacrificing for the lives of their children.  It might look like families making big moves to care for the orphaned child.

This list goes on and on, but the end should always be the same. 

WORSHIP AND GLORY TO OUR DESERVING GOD.

On the mission field it is easy to see projects, salvations, discipleship, daily ministry… as our end goal.  Each of these things and everything good that could possibly happen is for one thing, and that is to give glory to our incredibly worthy God.

Revelations 4:11 says this: 

“You are worthy, O Lord our God, to receive glory and honor and power.  For YOU created all things, and they exist because you created what you pleased.”

Let’s be clear about what we’re going for here.  We are here to give glory to our God by living sacrificial, obedient lives that are led by the Holy Spirit.  By doing so, we will see His glory fill the earth.  John Piper says: “Missions exists because worship doesn’t”.

Let’s live sacrificial lives that God will see as “truly the way to worship Him” (Rom 12:1 again)  In that, even the dark places of the world will see God’s glory and worship start to spring forth.

Why would we do such things?  Because He is worthy.