...the end of book three.

It turns out Leviticus wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.  I mean, it's God's word....I really shouldn't say I expected it to be bad, (in fact, the more I think about it, that was prob wasn't a very good thing to say) but I figured it would be like reading the "driver's ed" manual before taking the car out.  Or, getting a new game that you are really excited to play, you have a table of people waiting to play with you...but, wait!  You have to read the instructions....

I guess that's how I expected Leviticus to be. 

But, like I said...turns out it wasn't bad at all!  I'm actually really beginning to love the old testament!  There are a lot of great verses that come from the OT, verses of comfort and victory, and it's also a huge building block for the new testament.  It's all starting to piece together for me.

My favorite verse in Leviticus was in Chapter 2, verse 32.

"Do no treat my name as ordinary and common.  I must be treated as holy.  It is I that makes you holy.  It was I that rescued you, that I might be you very own God.  I am the Lord." 

Leviticus focused a great deal on worship, and it made me think about my own practices of worship. 

A while back, I'd been feeling "unsettled" or "dissatisfied" during worship at my church.  It was to the point that I had even considered trying a new church. 

I insisted that it was the music.  Too loud, too fast, to slow, or it wasn't my favorite worship leader.  Perhaps it was where I was sitting...or who I was sitting with.  Sometimes it was who was sitting behind me, or across from me.  Who's watching me?   Then I started to compare myself to other people.  Wow, look at that person worshiping God.  They must REALLY love God....at least more than me.  I can't even concentrate on him for 20 straight minutes!   

I had made it all about me. 

God opened my eyes and helped me realized that worship isn't about me at all.  It's about God!  It doesn't matter if I "feel" like it.  

He's still worthy. 

He doesn't "need" my worship, but it pleases Him.  There are so few ways I can show God how much I love Him, how thankful I am that He rescued me...and worship is one of them.   

He also taught me that that worship isn't just about the music on Sunday mornings.  It's praising Him when you see a beautiful sunset, acknowledging His creation when you see tiny, newborn baby fingernails, it's realizing over and over again that His way is the best way.  It's glorifying Him in everything we do.   

And although I am beginning to see Him in everything I do, I very much believe that we each have our own special "ways
that we draw even nearer to Him.  Our own approach to feel "extra" close, if only for a few moments.  For some it's music for others it could be watching little children, being surrounded by nature, praying, running or reading His word.

There are Sunday mornings that I still feel those old thoughts and habits creeping up, I get distracted by someone or something.  When that happens now, I simply ask God to clear my mind so I can focus more on Him.

Because He is worthy.