Have you ever been a part of a group trying to raise funds?  Sometimes in order to stimulate giving, these individuals put up a visible symbol, such as a thermometer, of the starting point and the target figure.  Every time funds are collected persons can physically see how their contributions have made a difference. 

Having National Heroes are also visual symbols/reminders of where we started from and how far we have come.  It is important to know our past so that we can be confident in our heritage ensuring that we don’t lose what our ancestors fought for.  Heroes like Marcus Mosiah Garvey, Samuel Sharpe, Paul Bogle and the others made it clear that “a people without knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots” (Garvey).

Have you stopped to take a look at your own family heritage, where you are coming from and where you are going? What are some of the sacrifices your ancestors made that you are taking for granted?  How about your children or grandchildren? Have you told them about their heritage: ancestral as well as spiritual? Are we hoping these things will be passed down by osmosis?

God wants us to take note of where we are in Him and seek to go deeper into relationship with HIM.  Jesus came so that we can have not just life but abundant life.  This life starts with faith as small as a mustard seed and can grow into a huge tree of faith.  God wants us to pay attention to our spiritual heritage: its past, history, origin and culture.  He wants us to build on and not lose what was fought for.  God is calling us to truth in the inward parts that manifests itself in obedience and the visible symbol of authentic worship. Authentic “worship therefore is the index of where our hearts are before God” (Rev. Dr. Stephen Jennings). God is calling us today to move out of the realm of disobedience and into obedient worship on the next level.  People need to see how far we have come in God and be attracted to our faith by the way we live.  Let us repent of lukewarm worship and let us ask God to light the flame in our hearts so we can blaze in worship before God.

PRAYER

Father let our prayers come up before you as visual symbols of our authentic worship.  May we never forget our spiritual heritage of where you have brought us from and build on all that has gone on before. Set us ablaze, in Jesus Name. Amen