Ah, application. We're always asking how something, especially the biblical text, is relevant and applies directly to our lives. The tacit assumption in such an approach is usually that, in the words of Peter Enns, application is something "demonstrable and concrete. Specifically, it pushes us to do something; that is, it has to be "practical."" (italics his)
But, consider this:
"The ultimate goal of application may not always be to tell us how we should act. It may also be to change how we think, how we look at the world around us, and how we understand what it means to be a child of God. "Application" may mean that we grow in our understanding of how great God is and how full of love he is. Proper application may be no more than coming to the truly heartfelt conclusion that our God is indeed great. Application is worship." (Peter Enns, Exodus, NIVAC, 31-32).
So, tomorrow morning as you engage the sermon or as you read your Bible on your own and with your family, don't just try to walk away with your 3 points of what you're going to do differently or better this week. Instead, consider how God might be calling you to think differently and worship out of that changed heart and mind.
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In our small group we just finished studying Romans 9 to 11. As we considered the attributes of God and His sovereignty I had to do a mind-adjustment. I read a little quote by C.S. Lewis which made me realize more deeply that I did not initiate my salvation. This gave me fresh reason to praise the God who loved me, gave Himself for me and called me to be His child.
C.S. Lewis said about Phil. 2: 12: The first half [of the verse] is, 'Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling' - shich looks as if everything depended on us and our good actions: but the second half goes on, 'For it is God who worketh in you' - which looks as if God di everything and we nothing... You see, we are now trying to understand, and to separate into watertight compartments, what exactly God does and what man does when God and man are wroking together. And, of course, we begin by thinking it is like two men working together, so that you could say, 'He did this bit and I did that.' But this way of thinking breaks down. God is not like that.