Misunderstood Worship
I Samuel 1:”12, Now it came about, as she continued praying before the LORD, that Eli was watching her mouth. 13 As for Hannah, she was speaking in her heart, only her lips were moving, but her voice was not heard. So Eli thought she was drunk. 14 Then Eli said to her, “How long will you make yourself drunk ? Put away your wine from you.”
Elkanah, the Ephraimite, had two wives, Hannah and Peninnah. Peninnah had given him several children. but Hannah was barren; this was a major stresser in her life because she desperately wanted to give children to her husband. Peninnah tormented Hannah because of her inability to bear children.
On one occasion as Elkanah, and his family went to the temple of God to worship Hannah fell before God, and d out her prayer before God. The temple priest, Eli, saw Hannah praying with her lips moving, but no sound was being made; he assumed that she was drunk, or perhaps crazy.
Many times our worship of God is misunderstood by those that are watching. When we get caught up in the Spirit people around us don’t understand what we are doing; there are times when we may not even understand it. However, we know in our hearts that we must worship God; we also know that true worship of God is not ourselves, but when we are in the Spirit then God is directing our worship.
John 4:23, “.23″But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth ; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers.24″God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”25 The woman said to Him, “I know that Messiah is coming (He who is called Christ ); when that One comes, He will declare all things to us.” 26 Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am He.”27 At this point His disciples came, and they were amazed that He had been speaking with a woman, yet no one said, “What do You seek ?” or, “Why do You speak with her?”
Jesus Christ was filled with the Spirit, and He was talking to the woman of Samaria; when His disciples found Him they did not understand why He was doing this. When we are moved by the Spirit then we may do thins that others “don’t get”, but that is true worship; when we allow God to move us as He desires.
Romans 8:26 says, “In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness ; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words;” The Spirit of God can/will move us in ways that we do not understand, and may be misinterpreted by others; but when we allow God to move us then we are always on the right path!
____________________________________
Father God, I thank You for giving Your Spirit to direct me in the right way, and I ask that You would give me the wisdom to follow You wherever You may lead. In Jesus’ name, Amen
____________________________________
The image above can be found at:http://grahamtomlin.blogspot.com/2010/04/worship-and-sacrifice.html
Yes, You Can Ministry 