1 Kings 12:32
He instituted a festival on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, like the festival held in Judah, and offered sacrifices on the altar. This he did in Bethel, sacrificing to the calves he had made. And at Bethel he also installed priests at the high places he had made.
It’s a joy that God brought me back to leading kids in worship. It has been more than six years, so admittedly, all the workshops I handled within that time frame, including two big seminars last year, were all in theory. But grace pulled those off. Now I have the chance to practice what I preached. Last night, I browsed through Kathleen Chapman’s book again, ‘Teaching Kids Authentic Worship’. Her main idea is to make sure kids time is focused on God alone - - to discover the million fascinating things about Him and to stand in awe of Him. Then I realized how little I actually lead the kids in worship that morning. July’s theme is about perseverance and I became so caught up in making them understand the big word that I failed to highlight the big God. Oh how often do we serve in His kingdom but never talk about the King? Worst, if we never talk TO the King :<
It was just the previous chapter that God spoke to Jeroboam through Ahijah, giving him the leadership of the bigger, ten tribes with a promise that if he will walk uprightly, he can have a dynasty as enduring as David’s. He did nothing to earn nor deserve the claim but it all conveniently landed on his lap. Now we read on verse twenty five his primary project, the fortification of Shechem and Penuel, then on twenty eight, his next priority, the altars in Bethel and Dan. All were intended to secure his kingdom - - from outsiders and from his southern brothers. His being part of dividing the kingdom made him paranoid to the same idea. The grandeur of Jerusalem’s temple (especially the truth that God’s Name resides there) threatened him and so he pursued copying the religious system, with a twist. Instead of one God, he offered the people two calves (calves!!! seriously?) ; instead of one place of worship, he opened two (can’t beat quality? go quantity!); instead of tapping Levites, he allowed all sorts of people to priestly duties (hmm, vote buying?); and he scheduled their tabernacle feast a month later than God’s appointed date (for distinction sake?). Oh how tiring, vain pursuit! All he need was to trust God to keep His promise. He who began a good work in him will be faithful to complete it. Obviously, Jeroboam became so absorbed in kingdom concerns, it consumed him into thinking it was his to keep. He forgot the King who rules above him and it all.
We have been taught the greatest commandment. I think most of us memorized the Ten. We know the most important thing and yet we live our lives, daily, disregarding it. Solomon, the wisest who ever lived, after a list of all meaningless pursuits, ended his book with this: ‘Fear God and keep His commandments’. But how come his declared-meaningless are the very things that occupy our schedules: wisdom, pleasures, toil, advancement, riches. The least we can allot God is some quiet time in the morning and a Sabbath once a week. Have we been faithful? Guess what? Shall we compartmentalize our lives and give Him just a portion? Shall we categorize worship under religion when He’s calling us into a relationship? It’s the sad line in Don Moen’s Praise Looks Good On You: ‘You lift your voice in singing, but your heart seems far away’. Yes, not even working in His kingdom equates with worshipping the King. His works may be a reflection of His character, but it’s still not Him. Knowing the law doesn’t make us law abiders either. How about you? Can you spot the difference?
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