Long before e-mail and long before texts, people were sending messages. Solomon sent a message to Hiram, asking him to provide lumber for the building of the temple (I Kings 5). Hiram answered with his own message, “… I will do all you desire concerning the cedar and cypress logs” (I Kings 5:8). John wrote about the message that came from God and had been declared to others: “. . . God is light and in Him is no darkness at all” (I John 1:5). Later, he reminded readers of another message: “. . . we should love one another” (I John 3:11).
Some messages are important. Take for example the messages we send when we engage correctly in worship. Think about four of these:
THE MESSAGE TO GOD
We send a message of respect. “Worship” literally means “to fall on the ground in front of.” We figuratively fall at God’s feet in recognition of His majesty. That respect is shown by doing exactly what God has shown He wants from us. Our message to God is, “We love You.” We offer praise and adoration because of that love. Sadly, we send the wrong message when our singing is half-hearted and our minds are occupied by things other than worship.
THE MESSAGE TO THE WORLD
Our message is that it is right to worship God, no matter what others do. When we take the Lord’s Supper we tell the world that we believe in His death and its benefit to us. We tell the world we will do it until He comes again.
THE MESSAGE TO EACH OTHER
The message is, “We want to build up each other.” We accept Paul’s message in I Cor. 14:26, “Let all things be done for edification.” We gladly sing, “Bind us together, Lord. . .” And, we mean it!
THE MESSAGE TO OURSELVES
We affirm, “This is where I ought to be. This is where I need to be. This is where I want to be.” Our worship tells us, “This will help me face the challenges ahead and will get me closer to Heaven.”
Let’s be sure the messages we send are the right ones.
-Allen Hahn
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