7 Things - A Call To Worshipers

2 Chronicles. 29:11

“My sons, do not be negligent now,

for the LORD has chosen you

to stand before Him, to serve Him,

and that you should minister to Him

and burn incense.”

This verse has seven secrets for those who are serving the Lord as worship ministers:

• We are sons - Hezekiah is speaking to his priests and Levites, and we can see his tenderness towards them, as he calls them his sons. Our foundation for ministry is from the perspective of being sons of God. 

• We must not be negligent before Him - our goal is excellence in our ministry and in being pleasing the the Lord. To serve the Lord in worship ministry is a holy calling, and we must not be negligent in any areas of practical service or spiritual passion.

• We are chosen by Him - this is not any kind of choosing, as it is the Lord who has chosen us to be His ministers. This word (bachar) doesn't just mean "chosen," it also means

  - that He has approved of us

  - that He loves us

This same word is used in Psalm 65:4 where we can see the same call given to those who are chosen to be near the Lord. Blessed is the man You choose, And cause to approach You, That he may dwell in Your courts. We shall be satisfied with the goodness of Your house, Of Your holy temple.

• We stand before Him - The meaning of this word ('amad) also gives us a picture of what the Lord is requiring of us. It means to present oneself to the Lord, to be ordained, and to abide. There is also a call to standing still before HIm included in this meaning.  We have the honor of being the ones who abide in His presence and remain firmly planted in worship before Him. The word for "before" is paniym, meaning "face.' We stand right before the face of God as we minister to Him.

• We serve Him - What a privilege to be this who wait upon the King of kings! We are His personal attendants. Our worship is continually before HIm. We wait on Him as those who attend His will and minister His decrees in the earth.

• We minister to Him - Not only do we serve Him, but we are His personal ministers and priests. There are no others who are called to be this close to Him. This is our daily delight and the greatest privilege of the universe.

• We burn incense before Him  - Our worship makes a fragrant sacrifice before Him. This word "burn" also means to make perfume (YLT) or to turn something into a fragrance through the fire of worship, and to make a smoke that drives out the enemy.