Draw Me Near

    My husband has this really great sermon that he preaches occasionally about worship and sacrifice.  He uses the story of Abraham and Isaac in Genesis 22 in which Abraham is told to sacrifice his son, and yet he says to his servants that he is going to worship.   True worship will cost you something, he says.

    Me, well, I tried to look for a deeper connection between the two concepts and looked into the Greek words.  Worship is proskuneo and sacrifice is prosphero.  They have the same root word, which I thought just went to support his sermon.  (Please be warned I know NOTHING about Greek and this is just the barest of scrapings into a complex language). 

    So last night, before he was to preach it again, I wondered out loud if proselytize had the same root word too.  I mean, it sounded like it might.  So I looked, and yes, it is the same!  Proselytos is the Greek origin of the word and has the same root as the words for worship and sacrifice. These three concepts are all entwined with each other in a very relevant way...worship and sacrifice and sharing your faith are basic building blocks that often rely on each other.  What amazes me even more is what the root word means and why these three words bring me again to my knees in awe of GOD. 

    The root word 'pros' means simply 'near'.  You draw near to GOD when you give up something for Him or give something to Him.  You draw near to GOD when you give Him honor and glorify Him in your words, songs, or deeds.  And you draw near to Him by telling your story and bringing others to Him.  You can't worship without Him.  Sacrifice is meaningless without Him.  And what is there for anyone without Him being the center of our lives and focus?

    So GOD, draw me near to You.  Everything is wrapped up in who You are.  Help me to stay near to You in challenges and victories, celebration and defeat.  You are the I AM.  There is nothing else.