In the church where I previously served attended a lady named Ann. She and her husband, Bill moved to Manila from Argentina for him to direct a big Christian Evangelistic Festival in 2006. Of all the churches they could have chosen to participate in, they picked the one I served in.
On their first Sunday at that church, I stood to do an opening song, she walked in with the help of a cane with Bill. She limped down the aisle and found a spot close to the back. I asked everyone to stand and sing, and she remained seated. I figured it was difficult for her to do so, so that didn’t bother me as some form of “I’m not following you” kind of gesture. They came up to me after the service to say how much they appreciated the worship service, and how they believed they’d found a church home. Sure enough, they kept coming.
As time went on I noticed that her condition was getting worse– from a cane, she started using a folding walker, and eventually, a wheelchair. It had become very painful for her to even stand.
One morning I stood to do a short exhortation before the offering. I read 2 Samuel 24:24: “…I will not sacrifice to the Lord my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing.”. Following that exhortation, while people gave their offerings, we sang a song titled “Because of Who You Are.”
Because of who you are I will lift my hands I will lift my heart and sing a song of love to you Because of who you are I offer you my life surrendering my all, a living sacrifice to you because of who you are everything you are Chorus: I give you all the glory I give you all the praise I pledge to you each moment for the length of all my days my rock and my redeemer my savior and my strength Oh I will ever praise you Yes I will ever praise you Yes I will ever praise you Lord because of who you areWhile we worshiped God seated, I saw her RISE TO HER FEET. With her head held high, arms raised and a smile on her face, she sang to her Savior. Occasionally squinting which signified that she was in pain, she stood through the entire song regardless of how she felt physically. Soon after, everyone else was standing in worship!
After that service as I stood by the door to greet people, her husband pushed her wheelchair towards me. In her lovely Argentine accent she said, “Jon, thank you for leading us in worship. I felt so moved to praise Jesus regardless of my condition. I thought of what I could give to Him at that point and was prompted by the Spirit to STAND– because that is what’s most difficult for me to do. I will not offer anything that’s easy for me to give up!”
She got it right. We do not worship only when it’s convenient for us. Worship is most precious when it is done in willful sacrifice- “I will not offer anything that costs me nothing” (1 Samuel 24:24).
Ran into this blog and God had you pen this for me. I am struggling with the call to be humble and I’m telling the Lord that I just can’t, and I’m telling the Lord that I will make a choice next time, to do it His way and give Him a costly sacrifice. Thank-you for writing. To God be the glory for our obedience.