Work and Worship — Part 6
God made Adam and Eve in his image and called them to serve as his priests. Because of their rebellion in the garden (temple), we lost our calling as priests and the temple. Heaven and earth were separated. Since our God is love, he did not abandon us forever, but he became a man to restore us and our calling through Christ and through him bring heaven and earth together again.
Avodah has been partially restored in Israel, but in Christ, it is perfectly restored because God became our high priest. If so, how does our worship look like? Just like it was back in Eden? I think, yes!
In the new covenant with Christ, our physical bodies become his temple, and Jesus becomes the high priest so that through him, we can worship God forever. Isn’t this marvelous? Eden or God’s dwelling place is restored in us — now Jesus (the last Adam) has replaced the first Adam as the high priest.
“Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have received from God?” (1 Corinthians 6:19), (1 Corinthians 3:16), (John 14:23), (Ephesians 2:22)
“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, to proclaim the virtues of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.” (1 Peter 2:9)
With the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in our bodies, all of life becomes our priestly Avodah to God. If all of life matters to God, how are we supposed to worship? Jesus givs us a clue in his conversation with the Samaritan woman.
“But a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth, for the Father is seeking such as these to worship Him.” (John 4:23) How do we understand this?
When I was born of the Holy Spirit, my body becomes the temple of God, where I will be able to worship God in spirit and in truth. That means with all my heart, mind, and practice. In truth (Aletheia) means, in reality, in life, or practice. That is why work, worship, and service is one. This is the kind of worshipper the Father is seeking. If I am not born of the Spirit, it is not possible to worship God since I do not have his Spirit, or I am not his dwelling place.
Though it is glorious, it is also scary to me. Like Moses, who was terrified at Mt. Sinai, I wonder if it is even possible to always worship God in my thoughts, imaginations, and attitudes, let alone works? Having said that, God is not demanding high performance by our own strength. That is a significant relief. Because our high priest has taken care of it. He is seeking that we remain as his temple and worship (Avodah and Shâchâh) in humility and love so that our high priest may work through us in reconciling all things to himself. Behold, I am making all things new. This indeed is a beautiful thing.
1.Avodah: Worship | 2.Avodah in Eden: Priesthood | 3.Avodah in Slavery: Idolatry | 4.Avodah in Rest: Sabbath | 5.Avodah in Exile: Common good | 6.Avodah in Christ: Reconciliation | 7.Avodah in New Jerusalem: Shalom
‘Work and Worship’ is a 7 part devotional published by Christian Institute of Management. Management Devotional 2020 is a collection 365 devotionals by 52 authors on different topics. You can order the devotional on Amazon.in.
