God-Centered

I came to the Passion Conference with a sizeable amount of skepticism; events like this sometimes seem so focused on human talent and Christian super-stars, singers and speakers and writers, and on glorifying one self while degrading the mass. I saw some of the worship songs I knew would be sung as somewhat corny, one-dimensional expressions of praise. But the best part of being skeptical is that God reveals the most to those who expect the least.

For months, I have thrown myself into ministry through camp, in addition to school and work. Though I find so much joy in my work at CLR, I ended 2009 feeling spiritually-drained, like I had nothing left to give despite my desire for the contrary. In fact, one of the main reasons I signed up for this event at all, one of the draws Passion 2010 had for me in the first place, was that I could be on the other side. I could listen instead of speak, watch instead of work, sing rather than supervise. How inexcusably selfish of me.

My awakening was not an explosion. No, my awakening was a match dropped in a forest. One lyric in a song sparked in that dry, flammable surface of my Saharan heart, fueled by another word, another prayer, and when John Piper spoke tonight, my awakening had grown into a wildfire. I feel uncontainable, alive.

God, let me not be addicted to emotion but let my worship be action. My voice is hoarse, my mind spinning, and my smile wide, God, but let me love You, not the fleeting moment of understanding, of wet eyes and fluttering heart. God, move me not to tears but to steps. Let my worship be action, and take all glory as your own. Your servant burns; light me again when I smolder, when exhaustion rains.

John Piper addressed the uncomfortable feeling that many Christ-followers secretly have (and many unbelieving people openly express) when reading verses that describe God as “jealous” and verses where God demands glory, demands that his name be praised. Piper quoted one writer as calling Jesus an “egomaniac” for such verses in Scripture. I myself wondered (and promptly apologized to God for my traitorous thoughts, which I believed them to be at the time) why God would demand worship. But in words I can’t hope to repeat coherently, God used John Piper to reveal another aspect of himself to me and 21,000 other believers.

As concisely as I can manage: God is God-Centered. Above anything, God desires glory, for His name to be honored and praised and exalted above all else.

God is jealous, demanding our worship. Christ said that anyone who loves father or mother, son or daughter, or self more than Me does not deserve Me. God is God-Centered, not man-centered.

God is not an egomaniac. God. Is. Love. God is God-Centered, and therefore Love-Centered. God desires us to love Him above anything else in this world because there is nothing else in this world that will not fail. Money fills no longing, material possessions pass away. Education or fame dissolves.  Even the strongest of human relationships will disappoint. But God. Is. Love. And love never fails.

God demands are worship because above all else, he desires our joy. When we worship in truth, we experience joy. When we worship in action and in justice, others experience joy. God is love, and can be nothing BUT God-centered.

Anyone who tries to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. – Jesus

My joy can never be complete without Christ. My joy can never be complete if I put anything higher than God. God is most glorified when we are satisfied in Him.

On Christ the solid rock I stand. All other ground is sinking sand.