A question of worship

Read Genesis 14:17-24

Here we are faced with a question of worship. Abram has destroyed the enemies that captured his nephew Lot and driven off the enemies out of the land. Now he comes before two men. Melchizedek and the King of Sodom.

To Melchizedek, he offers a tenth of everything they have. The King of Sodom, whom he just rescued, offers for Abram to take half of everything. Abram refuses not wishing that the king of Sodom could say he made Abram rich.

Why pay regard to Melchizedek and rebuke the King of Sodom? 

Melchizedek is recorded as the king of Salem, priest of the most high God. Salem was Jerusalem and Melchizedek appears to be a worshipper of the true God, the one creator God of heaven and earth. In his regard for Melchizedek he is offering up worship to God through God’s priest Melchizedek. In his disregard of the king of Sodom, he refuses to allow any worship to be given to the king of Sodom. Abram’s success and wealth shall be completely and wholly credited to God.

In both his responses, his heart has the same motivation and desire, to glorify and worship God. You see imagine our entire lives as a song, the lyrics and music reflecting that which mattered most to us, those things we dedicated our time and strength to, those thoughts that most often occupied our minds. What do you think your song would sound like? 

Abram knew about this song, and no matter the many things he did and achieved he wanted one thing to be the main, overarching theme of his life, the things that would come out of every line in the song of his life. The glory and praise of God. 

Should this not also be the great concern of our lives, do we owe it to our families, our careers, our possessions, our holidays, our hobbies, to make them the great theme song of our lives. No none of them deserve such a place, there is only one worthy to have his praises constantly sung, only one to whom we owe all things, that is God. 

Romans 12:1
“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.” Present your bodies, present your lives to God. The worship we now offer to him is the offering of our lives to do with as he sees fit. We have been purchased, we have been made servants of God. Our lives are not our own, but they are God’s. Now do as Abram does, and worship him.

Question

Are there things in your life which receive more emphasis than they should?

How could I make God a more central part of my life and worship?