Worship

Jacob, when he was dying, . . . worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff. Hebrews 11:20

I’ve long been intrigued by this verse of Scripture. I do know that some translators have indicated the word “staff” here might be “bed.” In Hebrew the two words have exactly the same consonants. Since they were copied without vowels, it is possible that either could be correct.

I have thought about it from the perspective of a man having sufficient intimacy with God to find His presence and power real in the ordinary circumstances of life. Jacob didn’t require a particular place, or certain kinds of music, or the right “atmosphere,” to be able to focus his attention on worship. Rather, it was a part of the natural order of his daily walk.

I’m not sure we have that mindset in today’s undisciplined, disorderly society. We seem to need the trappings of our experience, whether that is a traditional or fully contemporary setting, to tame our minds for worship. The very thought of worshiping while driving to work, or mowing the lawn, or shopping for groceries, is somewhat foreign to our thinking.

This verse does reinforce in my mind the certainty that worship has its focus on the heart and not the head. I mean by that, worship is not precipitated by conditions but by intimacy, or if you prefer, familiarity, closeness, understanding, relationship, or even the confidence that God is “there” and one can access that presence at any time, anywhere.

One of the “preachers” I see on TV occasionally will interrupt his sermon (I use the word carelessly) to say, “Let’s worship,” after which some really poor music (in my humble opinion) wafts from the airwaves. That is only to say, are not the teaching/preaching/study of the Word worship? Isn’t the ministry of the saints to one another worship? Aren’t the praying and the giving and the welcoming of the guests a vital part of worship? Of course they are! And if you doubt that, spend some time discovering what the word “worship” means.

Now, most of those we can do while “leaning on our staff!” Maybe “welcoming the guests” is bit of a stretch, but, surely, praying for someone is a part of our ministering of grace to one another, but the point is, we need to rediscover the authenticity of personal worship when the Body is not gathered.

Take time to worship today! It may get your heart yearning for the beautiful koinonia of the Body gathered. I surely hope so.