Why Am I Here? Part 1

Sunday morning retuning:  How are you responding to the reality of who Jesus is today?  Answer that question please before you read any further.  Thank you.

Ever have the experience of entering room and asking find yourself asking why did I walk in here?  This occurred to me a few times in rapid succession the other day and I quickly realized that I was preoccupied, or otherwise mentally distracted.  Why do I have such a difficult time of staying focused, at least at times?

Does this ever happen to you?  I knew precisely the purpose of my journey when I started out, but how easily a distraction has seized my mind.  It was frustrating and best and at least mildly disturbing.  In the midst of that epiphany, a deeper more profound one arose.

It was ne that brought this question to mind.  “How often does this experience characterize my walk with, and worship of, Jesus Christ?”  Upon yielding my life to Him and changing the course of said living, I quickly realized the point of this existence was, and continues to be, to ascribe glory to His worth.  How easily I am distracted from this singular pursuit that should inform every other lesser one?

Let’s put it in Scriptural terms.  Jesus taught the greatest thing is to “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” [Matthew 22:37]  Locally, we at NMC, have been putting that in terms of “loving Jesus”, through a lifestyle of worship, prayer and humble obedience.

I described this purpose recently by quoting pastor and author James MacDonald from his book Vertical Church. 

The highest and most powerful human experience is to express our love to the most worthy object of that affection. In the elevation of Christ’s worthiness, our greatest joy is discovered.  The greatest sin, then, is directing that adoration elsewhere, not only because it insults God, but also because it insulates our hearts from the delight we were created to revel in.  TO fail at worship is the greatest failure a human is capable of with the gravest and most immediate of consequences.  But when a believing community amplifies worship as their ultimate priority, they are shaped by that adoration into the most powerful human force possible.

That is why we are here!  It is easy to forget, isn’t it?  And that is why our worship ministry is here, to love Jesus and His Church by helping them worship with unashamed adoration.  Julia Ciferno introduced a new song called Rooftops Sunday which helps us sing out why we are here.  In it we sing, “Here I am, I stand with heart wide open to the One, the Son, the Everlasting God.”  Learn it and sing it with me as we declare together this Sunday and beyond why we are here!

Jesus, help us to love You as we live lives wide open to You and Your glory.  When we forget and get distracted, remind us quickly of the purpose of our lives, to give You glory! In Jesus name. Amen.  

In Christ,

Pastor Timothy