Serving God Involves Being Served by Him
Then Moses set up the courtyard around the tabernacle and altar and put up the curtain at the entrance to the courtyard. And so Moses finished the work. Then the Cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the Glory of God filled The Dwelling. Exodus 40:33-34
All the depth and profundity of worship is summarized in those last two sentences. Moses finished the work—that is, the service that we bring to God; that is, the material and physical work of building, planning, searching out, thinking, and doing. Energy is expended, calluses build up on the hands, muscles are tired, discouragements are surmounted, determination finds a way, sacrifices are made, a tabernacle is built.
The Cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the Glory of God filled The Dwelling—that is, the service that God brings to us; that is, the Spirit of God invading our hearts with his healing, restoring, redeeming, renewing presence. Love is released, knowledge is shed abroad, peace is infused, and grace is lavished.
All true worship has this deep, rhythmic movement of humanity’s service to God and God’s service to humanity. We build a tent, and God fills it with his glory. We construct a church; God’s cloud of providence covers it.
This rhythm of our service to God and God’s service to us, it is not a matter of his rewarding our worthiness or our hard work. It is rather the rhythm of life in God’s system. He gives, we give, he gives more, and we respond in gratitude. This is part of the beauty that God brings to our lives.
Every Step an Arrival – E. Peterson