Not Ashamed: I Worship Jesus Christ

Tears pooled. A lump formed in my throat. In that instant, the enemy ambushed my heart.

I’d lost sight of who I worship.

Because the words of praise gnawed at me. Why all the glory and honor for her? I celebrated alongside her. But secretly I felt overlooked. Shoved further away from the spotlight.

Unsolicited thoughts snuck up on me. Drumroll, please. Everyone lift her up! 

I cringe at such ugliness. It’s hard to confess. Embarrassing.

But the spotlight was never intended for me. The Lord reminded me of the words He’d stirred in my soul.

If I can’t lay down my own glory, Jesus will never get His.

Surrendered Worship

“Lord, haven’t I taken this class before? Glory belongs to you alone. Will this be an endless struggle? A spiritual handicap to overcome?”

The enemy knows when my soul forms a momentary wrinkle. Then he dials into my vulnerabilities. He sucker-punches my identity. So I forget who I am in Christ.

Yet, I learned the lesson of surrender from Jesus. God called me to make His name renown.

In the past, I’d run first to my husband or a friend with my lost perspective. Then I’d talk to the Lord.

But this time I immediately noticed the red flag in my heart and ran to the Lord. I cried out to Him with my hurts, my selfish thoughts, and with my desires.

And I worshiped Christ—the Lamb slain for me. Playing several worship tunes, lifting my hands in my home office.

Just me and God. No one saw me. Not even the dogs in the room paid much attention. 

Flabbergasted Worship

When the presence of the Holy One enters our worship, there’s a peaceful release of the world’s cares. Worshiping Jesus demonstrates that I trust Who He is and what He says.

A rightful exchange happens when the worshiper lays down glory and exalts Jesus as the worshiped One.

And the lesson hit home in my spirit. I’m amazed by Christ. In awe of Him. The greek word for amazed means flabbergasted or knocked from a standing position.*

So, if I’m knocked from a standing position, I’m low. Falling on my face to worship and adore Jesus. And I’m shoved further away from the spotlight. The way it’s meant to be.

No matter what we strain and strive to do in our life’s pursuit. No matter what hurts or setbacks come our way.

The sun will come up tomorrow. And the Son of God will be lifted up. #Jesus Share on X

I want to lift Him up. To worship Him. Unashamed to lift my hands in private or in public. Unashamed of Jesus.

Unadulterated Worship

“Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker” Psalm 95:6 NIV.

“Worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness; tremble before him, all the earth” Psalm 96:9 NIV.

“Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness” Psalm 29:2 ESV.

Unadulterated worshiping: Glory, honor, and holiness belong to Jesus alone. #Jesus Share on X

Prayer from the 2014 Passion Conference:

Jesus, may it be our prayer, wherever you’re calling us, whatever you’re calling us to, that we would be a people that know what it is to follow. To step into the great unknown to be the people you’ve called us to be. Not people chasing fame, in and of themselves. 

Success or greatness for any other reason than you called us to be great. You’ve called us to do great things for Your name, God. To live not for the applause of men, but for the applause of One.  

We surrender. For the greatest of all is the servant to all. The greatest call God you exemplified is Jesus on the cross for us.

So we surrender. Jesus, we give you all the glory, all the honor due your name. We lay down our hearts. We lay down our lives.

* Accessed from First 5 App, Amazed by Jesus, Whitney Capps.

Images and text courtesy of Adobe Spark.

Learn more about Passion Conferences.

© 2017 by Karen Friday, All Rights Reserved