February - 8
SUCCESSFUL WORSHIP
The glory of the Lord appeared to all the people. Leviticus 9:23
Is worship successful because you sing contemporary hymns? Have a traditional liturgy? A friendly and entertaining preacher? Doctrinal preaching?
Israel’s first worship service was successful because God was there and God accepted the offered sacrifice. God was pleased, and the people rejoiced.
“If only our worship were like that all the time!” we might say. But Israel’s worship was not always so dramatic. Day after day the priests kept the burnt offering going and received other sacrifices. Every week they observed the Sabbath, and every year they celebrated great feasts. Worship was exacting, repetitive work—and yet God was there, accepting their worship.
After the days of Aaron, God appeared again in great glory in Solomon’s temple (1 Kings 8:11), but when the people turned away, God’s glory left them (see Ezekiel 2-12). Many centuries later, when God’s glory appeared outside Bethlehem one night, only a few shepherds were amazed. Jerusalem itself and the temple’s worship team were unwelcoming (Matthew 2:1-12; John 1:11). Only Simeon and Anna waited faithfully, patiently—and they praised God for his great salvation (Luke 2:25-38).
Patient, faithful, and devoted worship is successful worship. The Lord has come. Worship him. Pray that he will come again—quickly.
PRAYER
Grant your servants peace, O Lord, for we have seen your salvation. Strengthen us to serve you faithfully and patiently—and please, come, Lord Jesus. Please come again. Amen.
敬拜之所以成功，是因为你唱的是现代圣诗？有传统的礼拜仪式？有友善和谈笑风生的讲员？抑或是有合乎教义的讲道？
以色列民第一次的敬拜是成功的，因为有神在那里，而且神接纳了他们所献的祭。神感到喜悦，百姓亦欢喜快乐。
我们可能会说：「若我们的敬拜可以时常都如此便好了！」但以色列民的敬拜并非常常如此戏剧化，祭司们日复一日地保持燔祭的火燃烧，并接受其它供物，每星期谨守安息日，每年庆祝盛大的节期，久而久之，敬拜变成吃力而重复的工作，但神依然在那里，且悦纳他们的崇拜。
亚伦的时代过去后，神在所罗门的殿里再次荣耀显现（列王纪上8:11），但当百姓离弃神，神的荣耀也离开了他们（参以西结书2至12章）。许多个世纪以后的一个晚上，当神的荣耀在伯利恒城外显现时，只有少数牧羊人感到希奇，耶路撒冷和在圣殿里敬拜的人都没有表示热列欢迎（马太福音2:1-12；约翰福音1:11），只有西面和亚拿忠心和孜孜不倦地等候，他们为神所赐的伟大救恩而赞美祂（路加福音2:25-38）。
忍耐、忠心和敬虔的敬拜，便是成功的敬拜。主已来临，我们要敬拜祂，祈求祂早日再来。
祷告
主啊，求祢赐祢的仆人平安，因为我们得见祢的救恩。求祢坚固我们，叫我们能忠心而耐心地事奉祢。主耶稣啊，请祢来，请祢再来，阿们。