I see Jesus in you

500 I see Jesus in youI was doing my job as a cashier in a sporting goods store and I was having a friendly chat with a customer. She was about to leave and turned back to me, looked at me and said, "I see Jesus in you."

I did not really know how to react. Not only did this statement warm my heart, it also sparked some thought. What did you notice? My definition of worship has always been this: live a life filled with light and love for God. I believe that Jesus gave me this moment so that I could continue to actively lead this life of worship and be a bright light to him.

I did not always feel that way. As I have grown in the faith, so has my understanding of worship matured. The more I grew and served in my church, I came to realize that worship is not just singing praise songs or teaching at the nursery. Worship means wholeheartedly living the life God has given me. Worship is my answer to God's love offer because he lives in me.

Here's an example: Although I have always believed that it is important to walk arm in arm with our creator - after all, it is the reason for our existence - it took a while before I realized that I was amazed and delighted worshiping God and praising creation. It's not just about looking at something beautiful, but realizing that the loving Creator has created these things to please me, and when I realize that, I worship and praise God.

The root of worship is love because because God loves me I want to answer him and when I answer I worship him. So it is written in the first letter of John: "Let us love, for he first loved us" (1. John 4,19). Love or adoration is a perfectly normal reaction. When I love God in my words and deeds, I worship Him and refer to Him with my life. In the words of Francis Chan, “Our main purpose in life is to make it the main thing and to point it out.” I want my life to dissolve completely into it and with that in mind I worship it. Because my adoration reflects my love for him, it becomes visible to those around me, and sometimes that visibility leads to a reaction, like the customer in the store.

Her reaction reminded me that other people perceive how I treat them. My dealings with my fellow man is not only part of my worship, but also a reflection of the one I worship. My personality and what I radiate outward through it is also a kind of worship. Worship also means to be thankful to my Redeemer and to tell him. In the life given to me, I try my best for his light to reach many people and learn from him constantly - be it through daily Bible reading, to be open to his intervention in my life, with and for the people in mine To pray or to focus on what is really important when singing praise songs. When I sing in the car, in my thoughts, at work, doing daily trifles, or contemplating songs of praise, I think about the one who gave me life and worship him.

My worship influences my relationships with other people. If God is the glue in my relationships, then he will be honored and exalted. My best friend and I are always praying for each other after we have spent time together and before our ways separate again. As I look to God and yearn for His will, we thank Him for our lives and for the relationship we share. Because we know that he is part of our relationship, our gratitude for our friendship is a form of worship.

It's amazing how easy it is to worship God. When I invite God into my mind, heart, and life—and seek His presence in my everyday relationships and experiences—worship is as simple as choosing to live for Him and to love other people the way He does. I love living a life of worship and knowing that God wants to be a part of my everyday life. I often ask, "God, how would you like me to share your love today?" In other words, "how may I worship you today?" God's plans are far greater than we could ever imagine. He knows all the details of our lives. He knows that that client's words still resonate with me to this day and have helped shape my understanding of worship and what it means to live a life of praise and worship.

by Jessica Morgan