In my last couple of blogs I’ve been talking about having intimacy with God and hearing His Voice. One of the best ways we can do this is through worship. As we worship God we get to know Him in a deeper and more intimate way. Many people in the Bible showed us how they worshiped and the results of having a lifestyle of worship.
Worship isn’t only what we do at Church services or in special prayer meetings. Worship should be something that we do all the time. Whether we are going through good or hard times, we must always give praise to Jesus. In fact, worship comes many times before we see the promise. If God has told us something then we know it will come to pass. It’s just that simple.
In the story of Abram we see that this is true. Whenever he heard God’s voice it’s because he had a lifestyle of worship. It was all he knew. Even though he had to wait a long time (25 years) to see his promise fulfilled, He made it his priority to seek God. He wasn’t going to let doubt creep in. When it tried, he would lift up his hands and praise The Almighty.
Genesis chapter 12 is where Abram’s story begins. He was given a promise that his descendants would fill the earth. However, Abram didn’t have one child and he was already seventy-five years old. This promise seemed impossible. However, since God had said it, he knew God could be trusted.
The following chapters prove Abram’s dedication. He wasn’t just going to serve God when He gave him a promise or he felt ‘goosebumps’. Abram served God throughout his life. He took time to worship and seek Him.
Worship Throughout the Journey
As Abram began his journey to the promise he would praise God along the way. He would frequently to worship Him.
Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your descendants I will give this land.” And there he built an altar to the Lord, who had appeared to him. Genesis 12:7
God appeared to Abram along the journey to encourage him and as He did Abram would stop to worship. Here it says that he ‘built an altar to the Lord’. An altar was a place of worship. He built an altar so that he could worship the Lord. When we are on a long journey we should stop and give God glory, thanking Him that He will fulfill His promises.
Once again the Bible says,
…there he built an altar to the Lord and called on the name of the Lord. Gen 12:8
Right at the beginning of Abram’s story God shows us that He was a man who sought God. It was something he would do frequently throughout his story. Time with God was important to Abram. That’s why he would hear God’s voice many times.
Worship Brings Clearer Vision
It seems that Abram would stop often just to give God thanks. He was a man of prayer, a person fully dedicated to God. He wouldn’t be shaken.
And the LORD said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him, Lift your eyes now and look from the place where you are – northward, southward, eastward, and westward; for all the land which you see I give to you and your descendants forever. And I will make your descendants as the dust of the earth; so that if a man could number the dust of the earth, then your descendants also could be numbered. Arise; walk through the land through its length and its width; for I give it to you. Then Abram moved his tent, and went and dwelt by the terebinth trees of Mamre, which are in Hebron, and built an altar there to the LORD. Genesis 13:14-18
God would speak very clearly to Abram because he lived a lifestyle of seeking God. As Abram sought God, he would get clearer vision. This is so important for us. As we seek God, He will broaden our vision. If you want God’s vision for your life to become clearer, develop a strong prayer life. (I wrote about this in another blog.)
Today, more than ever, we can have a relationship with God through the Holy Spirit. As we draw closer to God, He will draw closer to us (James 4:8) Build a life of prayer. Fall in love with Jesus every day. You will see things under a different light and your faith will grow.
