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REFLECTION

The theme for our reflection is “How can we best worship God? To worship God is a vocation or a calling to zealously live a life of total reverence and adoration and to dedicate one’s entire life to serving God and doing His will. How then, can we best worship God? We must worship God with zeal. We shall deliberate on how we can best worship God with zeal.

Beloved in the Lord, the best way we can worship God is to worship Him with zeal. Zeal is great energy or enthusiasm in pursuit of a cause or an objective. We observe from John 2:13-17 that it was time for the Passover festival. The Passover festival is celebrated annually to commemorate God’s decisive redemption of the Israelites in Egypt. We find the event of the Passover and the institution of the Passover festival in Exodus 12. Yearly, both Jews and proselytes (converts of Judaism) from all over the world come to Jerusalem to observe the Passover festival and sacrifice. It was difficult for Jews who lived in foreign lands to travel with their sacrificial animals therefore they changed their foreign currencies and bought the sacrificial animals at the temple. This was a normal practice until the sale of the animal and exchange of money became avenues for corruption in the Temple. The Temple officials benefited from the exorbitant or unreasonably high prices the animals were sold for. The money changers were also cheating those who came to exchange money to be able to buy the animals. The foreigners and those who came to worship in the house of God were victims of the corruption and rot that was taking place in the temple or house of God, it was for this reason Jesus, “… made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. To those who sold doves he said, “Get these out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house into a market!” His disciples remembered that it is written: “Zeal for your house will consume me (John 2:15-17). Beloved in the Lord, the temple officials, animal sellers and money exchangers were all Jews yet they had lost the zeal required of a believer in worship. Their focus was no longer on God but on money. They had turned the house of God into a marketplace or an unreasonable profit-making venture thereby cheating people who have come to worship God. On the other hand, we observe the reaction of Jesus towards them, Jesus had always been zealous and dedicated to the worship of God. Jesus is a zealous worshipper who is intolerant of corruption, injustice and evil. Beloved in the Lord, A zealous worshipper will insist on the will of God to be done at all times and in all places. A zealous or passionate worshipper is ever ready to risk his or her own life to please God and glorify His name. Jesus made many enemies and caused division between those who are faithful to God and the unfaithful because He worships God zealously. Jesus has taught us that worshipping God the best way is being zealous for God. Being zealous for God means to “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” (Mark 12:30). Again, Jesus has taught us that the best way to worship God is to be zealous in spirit and in truth, “God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.” (John 4:24). Dear friend, how best are you worshipping God? What is your motive for worshipping God or attending Church services? We have so many Christians in the world today, especially in Africa yet some of the records of corruption are found in the house of God. Some Christians at their workplaces are not worshipping God in the best way or zealously, if they were worshipping God zealously, bribery and corruption will no longer exist. We shall see the end of embezzlement and misappropriation of state and company funds and begin to experience prosperity and development as a nation. The world needs zealous Christian professionals and workers to bring godly transformation in all spheres of our socio-economic life. The world needs zealous worshippers to live by the perfect example of Jesus Christ in making a meaningful impact in our homes and societies. “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up” (Galatians 6:9)

In summary, the theme poses the question “How can we best worship God?” The reflection answers the question through one fact and answer, the best way to worship God is by being zealous for the Lord. May the Holy Spirit empower us to remain zealous and worship God in the best way we can so long as we have breath. Shalom.

PRAYER

Dear friend, have you been zealous for the Lord as pastor or church leader? Have you been zealous in the discharge of your calling or duties as a chorister or a committee member in your church? Have you been zealous for the Lord as a Christian politician, civil servant or professional? Have you been zealous for the Lord as a businessman or woman? Have you been a zealous Christian parent or child? Remember the world will not know that we are children of God or disciples of Jesus if we are not zealous in our worship of God. Pray for the Holy Spirit to empower you to be a zealous worshipper and a transforming agent of the Lord.

Dear Lord, set us apart from the world and make us zealous worshippers so that through our reverence, love and service to You, we shall glorify your Holy name and remain impactful. Amen.