“Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.” Hebrews 12:28
- VinothChandar / Foter / CC BY
All of life should be worship gratefully offered to God for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken. I consider how many hours of my day that I live in a manner that will probably be determined as unacceptable. I hate to think of the times I have stood in Church singing “How Great Thou Art” with a wandering mind. Acceptable worship does not just happen by the action. The motivation for worship determines whether it is acceptable to God.
We continually develop opinions regarding moral motivation. I try to discern the motivation of people all the time. We strive to know a person’s motivation because it deeply matters to most of us. It matters because our response to an action is often weighed based on the actor’s moral motivation.
I respond to the disobedience of my kids differently depending upon whether they are willfully being disrespectful or just being a kid.
I will take an elbow to the head if it is an accident. I will respond differently if it was flung with intent to hurt me.
I have different opinions regarding a person who steals to feed his family and the one who steals to buy crack.
Most of us have experienced that our actions stem from both belief and desire. Belief is insufficient to get us off our couch. In addition to belief, we need a desire to open the door to action. This is why we seek so diligently to try and understand a person’s moral motivation when their actions seem to contradict their belief. Actions that are inconsistent with our belief stem from a failure in desire.
I believe that consistent exercise is fundamental to my health; however, my desire to relax often keeps me on the porch.
I believe that overeating will give me a pot-belly; however, my desire to have a full belly often keeps me at the table.
I believe that hell exists; however, my desire to look sensible often keeps my mouth shut.
I believe that obedience to God’s commands, living according to the Spirit, is necessary to please God; however, my desire to please my flesh often keeps me at the trough of all sorts of iniquities.
The Humean view of moral motivation holds that beliefs aim to fit the world, desires aim to change the world. (Moral Motivation) Our beliefs reflect how we see the world. My beliefs reflect a world view as revealed in the Bible. I have experienced the Bible to be true and trustworthy. Therefore, my beliefs fit the world as I understand it to be. It is a mind-to-world direction of fit.
On the other hand, desires have a world-to-mind direction of fit. Our desires attempt to change the world to what we want it to be. This is where our actions often become inconsistent.
My desires will vacillate from wanting the world to make much of God to wanting it to make much of me. I still have sinful desires that effect what I want the world to be. Those sinful desires result in acts that are inconsistent with my beliefs.
Inconsistent actions are why we will develop opinions of a person’s moral motivation. When two people do the same action based on two completely different beliefs (worldviews) but the same desire, the result is differing moral motivations. Two people can have the same action based on the same belief but vastly different desires. The result is differing moral motivations.
God requires that both our beliefs and desires to be aligned with His will for our actions to be pleasing to Him. Therefore, acceptable worship only comes when both our beliefs and desires are aligned with God’s will.
A person can do many righteous actions but if they don’t believe in the God of the Bible then their works are like filthy rags.
A person can do keep all of the commandments but if their desire is for a love other than God then those works are worthless.
My worship problem is not an effort problem. My worship problem is a moral motivation problem. I don’t want to waste my life. I don’t want my works to be worthless. I want my life to be a pleasing fragrance to the King.
For those actions to happen, I need to know my problem.
I need the Spirit to help me through my unbelief in all its forms.
I need a heart that loves God more than anything else.
Fortunately, the Spirit will complete both of those works while I am walking with Him and setting my mind on the things of the Spirit. Then my steps will be acceptable worship to the consuming fire who is my God.
PRAYER: Lord, you know that I struggle with a worship problem. Forgive me for all the time that I have wasted in doubt, worry, and unbelief. Forgive me for all the time that I have wastes loving other things more than you. Thank you for welcoming me to a kingdom that cannot be shaken. Thank you for sending your Spirit to help with my worship problem. Help me in my unbelief. Help me to love you more and more. I pray this in the precious name of your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.
A DEVOTED LIFE 