Photo by Getty Images on Unsplash
The Lord has captured me to return to my first love in 2026.
As I have researched the scriptures, God the Holy Spirit positioned me in the Old Testament book of 1 Chronicles.
The particular section focuses on King David bringing the Ark of God back to Jerusalem.
David attempted to bring back the ark his way, which resulted in the death of a priest. It frightened the King, who abandoned the move.
David was a worshipper of God from his youth; he understood it, but it did not mean he could handle the things of God his way.
This portion of David’s story carries a valuable lesson.
God is love. It is the keynote of the Bible, “For God so loved the world, that he gave…” (John 3:16).
However, love without form is not pleasing to God.
The Old Testament shows the absolute sovereign power and majesty of God. There is a way to do things (form), and a way NOT to do them.
The New Testament shows the divine love of God, but it does not do away with the form God expects.
The point of this portion of David’s story is that there is an order that God expects humanity to follow.
This does not mean we act the same way, say the same things, or perform the same rituals (doing so can be called religion).
It means we must learn how to approach God.
David did this by learning what the scriptures said (in his case, the Torah and the books of the prophets).
It is no different for Christ-followers today. We must learn what the Bible says about our walk and relationship with God.
It isn’t about checking off a list of Do’s and Don’ts, but about developing a close personal relationship with him.
Jesus said (speaking of the religious leaders of his day),
“He replied, “Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written: ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.”
Mark 7:6 New International Version
To put it in simple terms, God’s form is obeying him from your heart and not your head.
Turning to the scriptures, David (at that time, through the priest’s) discovered the proper way to handle the ark of God, and this is where 1 Chronicles 16 begins.
“They brought the Chest of God and placed it right in the center of the tent that David had pitched for it; then they worshiped by presenting burnt offerings and peace offerings to God.”
1 Chronicles 16:1
The Message
There are three parts of this verse to draw your attention to.
Worship
“Then they worshipped.”
Worship is recognizing God for who he is.
His:
character
works
worth
Worship is all-consuming because it requires your heart and your head, which means your inward and outward expressions of adoration.
The Apostle Paul put it this way.
“For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.”
Romans 10:10
New International Version
The form required by God is inward and outward.
Worship is more than opening your mouth to glorify God’s name in song or words of appreciation.
It is more than clapping or raising your hands.
Worship includes a surrendered lifestyle of willing service and obedience.
Worship iisn’tto be seen by humanity, but enjoyed by God.
A burnt offering
In the Old Testament, (and early part of the New) a burnt offering required specific things.
An Unblemished animal (not any animal—bull, sheep, goat, or bird) must be completely burned on the altar.
For the Christ-follower, the Lord’s form is a complete surrender with total abandonment.
At one point in his life, David needed to offer a burnt offering to God.
One of the servants offered to give David the things he needed.
But David replied,
“But the King replied to Araunah, ‘No, I insist on paying you for it. I will not sacrifice to the LORD my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing.’ So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen and paid fifty shekels[fn] of silver for them.”
2 Samuel 24:24
A burnt offering implies giving up something precious to you that costs you something.
Peace offerings
Peace offerings in the Bible symbolize a voluntary sacrifice. It is meant to show your appreciation and gratitude to the Lord.
It implies fellowship and peace between you and the Lord.
Our youngest daughter has (voluntarily) given up a week of her life to attend Bible immersion class. It is an intense time of prayer, Bible study, and self-reflection on your life with God.
In this context, you can say she has offered a peace offering to the Lord because it was not required, but desired.
She wants a close personal relationship with God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. So, she gave up her time, social agenda, and work to gather with others for a week seeking the same kind of godly relationship.
It can be said that Jesus offered peace offerings to God when, after a day of ministering to people, he found a quiet place to be close to his Father.
It wasn’t required, but desired.
Therefore, the act of worship requires your heart and your head.
It requires your willingness to surrender something God is requiring of you.
It looks to you as if you should willingly give up something important to you so you can spend time with Him.
Worship is active, not passive.
Humanity has entered a time of historical proportions, and being close to God will mean the difference between finding spiritual freedom or a deepening of spiritual bondage.
Stay close.