Great You Are Devotional by Jordan SmithIhe Atụ

Day Four: Worshiping Through Blessings

To be honest, there have been times in my life when I’ve treated my relationship with God like it had an “in case of emergency” sticker on it. When I didn’t have a glaring need, my prayer time became shorter and sometimes ceased altogether. Eventually, though, a storm would come along and knock the wind out of me, leaving me shaken and crawling back to smash that glass case and pick up where I left off. 

The children of Israel are a prime example of what it looks like when mountaintop moments sabotage our commitment to God. We’re talking about the people who were delivered from bondage in Egypt and given manna from Heaven, only to turn around and worship at the feet of idols just a couple chapters later. Sound familiar?

Giving thanks and glory to God during a season of blessing seems like a no-brainer, but in reality, maintaining our Godly commitment during good times takes discipline. It’s easy to fall into the habit of only going to God when we’re in need. If we aren’t careful, our time in His presence can become solely transactional, where we tell Him what we need, and He delivers. That sounds like a pretty shallow friendship. But when we discipline ourselves enough to cling to Him - even on the best of days - our relationship with our Heavenly Father grows deeper and isn’t limited to our times of need. Instead, it extends beyond circumstances and has the power to outlast our highs and lows. That’s the kind of communion God imagined when He breathed life into Adam’s lungs in Eden. Worshiping through blessings means showing up to walk and talk with God, even when our cup is full. 

Today’s big idea:

Remember that God’s love for us is more than a spiritual ATM and shouldn’t be taken for granted. The key to living a life of worship is seeking presence over presents.