However, a sign here in Franklin that I think is paradoxical is in bold letters on the front of a store that people can use for small loans or to get an advance payment on checks. It's the title of this blog: "Free Fees." Now "fees" have to involve a cost, so if there is no cost there is no "fee." I think the sign really should read "No Fees."
Although what someone writes on their sign is not my business, I think our society really likes the word "free." It draws a crowd, it pulls in credit card customers, and plays on the desire to get something for nothing. But most of the time, "free" things are conditional. "Free mp3 players" (for the first 15 customers) or "Free financing (for the first three months) - but even after getting burned, people still go back to the stove.
I think this desire for "free" things has carried over into worship. We want a "free worship" - worship that doesn't cost anything, doesn't make any demands of us, or doesn't require anything other than to just show up!
In Matt Redman's book Facedown, there is a wonderful illustration of this: "In Genesis 22 God told Abraham to journey to the mountain of Moriah and there build an altar to worship Him. But this is no ordinary worship time. God instructs Abraham to take his son Isaac, for he is to be the offering. And though God never intends to let Abraham go through with this, the incident illuminates some important truths about worship. Ironically, one of the main insights comes from the boy Isaac himself. As they reach the appointed place and build an altar there, he says to his father, "The fire and the wood are here...but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?" In other words, "Everything seems like it's in place, but where's the sacrifice?" That's always a key question when it comes to real and meaningful worship.
We'd do well in our worship to ask the same question Isaac asked: Where is the sacrifice? Sometimes in our worship meetings the "fire" and the "wood" are there -- in other words, outwardly everything seems to be in place, and we think we're set for "great worship." A skilled music team perhaps - or above-average songs or an enthralling preacher. But something is missing -- where is the sacrifice? What I am suggesting is there must be times in our worship services when we cease to say, "Please give me more," and we start to say, "It's time I gave You more." Moments in which we journey from "Here I am, meet me" -- as wonderful a prayer as that can be -- and move on to complete the integrity of worship by crying, "Here I am; send me."
The only thing truly "free" is the grace of God -- but it surely wasn't free for God. It required the extravagant gift of the life of His Son. We do not deserve "free" grace, but God gives it to all who ask. In return we should live out our gratitude through worship that requires sacrifice -- not just of our money, but of our time, our talents, and our lives. Isaac Watts said it best: "Love so amazing, so divine - Demands my soul, my life, my all."