Simply Worship
Written by Anneke Toliver
Tomorrow my second son becomes a teenager. Getting to this stage of parenting, this place where I can’t help but begin to see glimpses of who my boys will be as men…it’s rewarding and terrifying. We’re not that far away from sending them out into the world, and it has me contemplating things we’ve done and what we’ve taught them, and how much I still want them to learn and know. On one hand, it’s feeling like I’m cramming for an exam; on the other hand, it’s that deep sigh of relief when you know you’ve done the prep work and have prepared the best you can. It’s both of those feelings. At the same time.
Our Bible Reading Plan has us finishing up the books of Wisdom Literature: the practical, how-life-works-best section of Scripture. With that fresh in my mind and Mother’s Day coming up and the Parenting study next (see info below!), it seems God is meeting me right where I am.
Solomon boils everything down to this: life is best when it begins and ends with fear and worship of God. Solomon lived a full life, had access to all that the world could possibly offer. He asked the tough questions and he concluded: make your foundation trust in God, and simply worship. In all our learning, in all our striving, in all our living and enjoying of life, in parenting, in work, in everything, worship is where we should land.
God asks us to trust Him—requires it of us. That’s not always easy. But when we do, life works best.
We know Him deeply, we begin to scratch the surface in understanding His ways, we are able to truly enjoy the beauties and joys of this life and recognize His presence with us in both the joy and the sorrow. Once again, knowing Him this way leads us to worship.
Here are some verses from the wisdom passages I’ve been pondering (these are from The Message version, since that’s what I’ve been using this year for our Bible Reading Plan). I invite you to mediate on them as well and hope they lead you to a deeper desire to worship God in whatever circumstances you find yourself today.
“Start with GOD—the first step in learning is bowing down to GOD; only fools thumb their noses at such wisdom and learning.”
Proverbs 1:7
“Listen carefully to my wisdom; take to heart what I can teach you. You’ll treasure its sweetness deep within; you’ll give it bold expression in your speech. To make sure your foundation is trust in GOD, I’m laying it all out right now just for you.”
Proverbs 22:17-19
“Trust GOD…Listen for GOD ’s voice…Run to GOD!…Honor GOD…But don’t, dear friend, resent GOD’s discipline; don’t sulk under his loving correction. It’s the child he loves that GOD corrects; a father’s delight is behind all this.”
Proverbs 3:5-12
“I’ve also concluded that whatever God does, that’s the way it’s going to be, always. No addition, no subtraction. God’s done it and that’s it. That’s so we’ll quit asking questions and simply worship in holy fear.”
Ecclesiastes 3:14
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Sally Anne’s Book Club is a member-led group within the Collective. Sally Anne is a former literature and writing professor and has carefully curated a collection of books involving three of the most universal yet thought-provoking themes–marriage, death, and faith.
