Spiritual Act of Worship

As we were going about our hustle and bustle of our normal school day routine, excitement filled our house the moment a small four letter word was yelled:

SNOW!!!

The kids were screaming and giggling! [Well, Jordan wasn't giggling.... He would die to think I wrote that... =)] Everyone was rushing to the window to see how "big" the flakes were. Another wave of excitement rolled through the kids when they witnessed the size of the flakes. Even my husband's reality check of: "You know it won't stick because it was 75 degrees yesterday," did not dampen the mood. We were all astonished that yesterday we were almost sweltering, (well, not really, but in comparison to today!) - and today it is snowing! Only in the Mid-South!

Something else happened this morning. As soon as I returned to the house from dropping the kids off, I rushed to my Bible to see what it was that was stirring in my spirit. I flipped through the pages of my favorite study Bible, and there it was, the chapter I was looking for. Psalm 51. I skimmed down through the verses and I found it. The whole time I was thinking about this blog post. But, in the midst of my rush my creator gently said, "Slow down, and read it all."

Talk about a whisper! Hmmmmmmmmmm. So, the smart girl that I am (ha!), I slowed down, and read the entire chapter, savoring every word. My heart began to weep. The feelings of why this chapter is so dear to me returned. His love. His mercy. His justice. His goodness. His holiness. OH, what a wonderful Savior we have!

As most of you know, we are in the beginning of a 21 day Daniel Fast at our church. Everyone who knows me has just wondered, "How on earth is Dorinda going to do without diet coke and m&ms?" And I am thinking, "How are me and my girls going to do without diet coke and chocolate!" Because my children have followed in my footsteps in these bad habits.

I have said all of the above to get to this point. And just so you will know, tears are streaming down my face as I am typing this. This morning my youngest child walked in the kitchen and announced quite loudly, "I want a diet coke SOOOOO BADDDDD!!" She is not doing the complete Daniel Fast, but did say she wanted to give up diet coke for Jesus. She is 9.

I stopped what I was doing and said, "Well, baby, you can have one if you want, but remember you said that is what you wanted to give up to be closer to Jesus."





The moment of decision had arrived and it showed on her scrunched up nose and face. I felt I had one of those moments in my hand that I wouldn't have again, so I pressed on. "You know what I did the other night? I wanted a diet coke really bad, and I remembered that every time I want something I have decided to give up, it is a chance to worship Jesus and tell Him how much I love Him. So I poured out a diet coke I had and told Him I loved Him more than diet coke as it was going down the drain."

I turned around to finishing cooking breakfast. The kitchen was quite except for the sounds of the food gurgling on the stove. Behind me I hear a "swoosh" of a coke bottle being opened up, and the next sound ushered in the very presence of God. It was the bubbly sound of the last bottle of diet coke being poured down the drain. I know you might think I am crazy, but it was if I could the smell the aroma of a sweet smelling sacrifice. I turned around to a very somber faced and determined 9 year old.

I knew I had just witnessed one of the most precious moments ever! You would have to be her mom to understand the depth of her "sacrifice". She had just given one of her first "Spiritual Acts of Worship". (Romans 12:1) So, I was drawn to Psalm 51.

In the NIV, verse 7 says, "Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow."
Verses 16 and 17 say, "You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise."

What I learned from this today is that sometimes it takes a sacrifice for us to get a broken and contrite heart. When we give up something we REALLY want or think we REALLY need, then our hearts become broken and pliable so that God can get in there and do some deep cleaning. Then we will be "whiter than snow"!

There is so much more on my heart about this, but I have a staff meeting to attend.

I love you all, and I pray you have a broken and contrite heart today!
dorinda



Out of my Treasure Chest:

• Fasting for Spiritual Breakthrough by Elmer Towns
• Daniel Fast Blog spot