First Fruits
By Frank Lim, Deacon
“Ascribe to the Lord, O families of the nations,
Ascribe to the Lord splendor and strength!
Ascribe to the Lord the splendor He deserves!
Bring an offering and enter His courts!” (Psalm 96: 7-8)
Robert and Naomi, mission partners in Papua New Guinea, were recently featured on Impact Conversations, First Prez’s live chats with local and global outreach partners. Their story reminded me of a short-term mission trip my family and I took to Papua New Guinea in 1999. We participated with another church and New Tribes Mission, and I remember the many ways the people of that country taught us about worship and gratitude. I would like to share an excerpt from my journal at that time:
“We were situated in the New Tribe Mission compound at Numonohi, outside the town of Goroka. That Sunday morning, as we prepared to go across the highway to attend church with the villagers, we were lethargic and listless and far from enthusiastic at the prospect of worship. Some were even moping and complaining. We had been to that church for evening worship services on two occasions in the past week. The church was a small building constructed of lumber and corrugated metal. Inside the structure were roughly hewn wooden pews for the adults and short stools for the children. A simple wooden pulpit occupied the front.
On this bright, sunny morning, we were pleasantly surprised to see how they decorated the entire church--to honor us, perhaps, but I suspect it was a form of worship for them. They regard worship as a serious matter, just as they showed us in their baptismal ceremony the week before. The riverbank was strewn with banana fronds, bamboo, flowers and fruits. And this morning was no different. The church was adorned with their offerings of greenery, flowers, and a precious commodity, freshly harvested crops. They gave new meaning to the phrase “first fruits” from Leviticus 23.”
We learned something about worship from the villagers that day. They showed us what it was like to be in the presence of God through their simplicity and humility. Though not musical by nature, they still managed to convey to us the vibrancy of their worship in song. We experienced this not from a language we did not understand but from the look and tears in their eyes, which reflected the spirit of gratitude, generosity, and joy within their hearts. Our team members shed many tears that day, tears of joy and maybe a tinge of guilt for our attitude earlier in the day. We saw simple people seriously intentional and enthusiastic about their worship.
In 1988, my family and I went to Taiwan, and we were invited to share a song in a small village church. The Lim boys chose to sing “Have You Seen Jesus My Lord,” not knowing until the services began, that this was a church for the blind. The worship was simple, but very intense and meaningful, because of the humility and joy of the congregation. Their worship affected us deeply. We left convinced that the blind in the congregation had seen Jesus with a clearer vision than we.
On our mission trips to third-world countries, one of the lasting impressions we have is the experience of worship shared with people of different cultures. Regardless of the language barrier and socioeconomic differences, be it in the Philippines, Cambodia, Swaziland, or Bangladesh, simple and joyful worship brings us together before the throne of God.
Yesterday was Pentecost Sunday, and just as the Holy Spirit unified the early Church, we, too, are unified with our brothers and sisters in far flung places, especially in our worship.
“All nations whom You have made shall come and worship before You, O Lord, and they shall glorify Your name.” (Psalm 86:9)
Prayer: Lord, thank you for inviting us into Your holy Presence in our worship. We come simply and humbly before You, with a spirit of gratitude for all that You have done and given us. We praise you for who You are. Thank you for first loving us, and for your mercy and grace. We pray and worship You, in Your Name, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.
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