Cluttered Worship

If we were to try to define worship many Christians would come up with various definitions.  The tragedy is that the church stands guilty of offering God worship that is not always acceptable worship to Him.  It is often what is convenient, what we are used to doing, and what we have time to offer Him.  We have been guilty many times of creating worship services that meet our own tastes and our own desires.  The reality is that Christian worship services can look different all across the globe but is it all acceptable worship?  I often feel that the way "I" do it is the proper way because it most satisfies "me".

I'm afraid that when many of us wake up on Sunday mornings that we are hoping that the church service does something good for us or that we feel good when we leave.  However, I'm afraid we are using the wrong measuring stick.  Perhaps we should ask ourselves if God was delighted by what we brought to Him that morning?  This truly changes everything.  Worship is both serious and celebratory because it is recognizing God for who He is.  Christ says that true worshippers worship God in "spirit and in truth" (Jn. 4:24).  This means that we love God with our entirety in accordance to the truths of Scripture.  The objective truth of God's Word should measure all worship.

A dominant theme in Scripture is worship and it is what Christians are called to do today and for all eternity.  Even some biblical figures missed the boat when it came to worship.  Cain offered a sacrifice that was not acceptable to God.  Uzza took worship into his own hands and was killed by God when he touched the Ark.  Martha fell short by equating busyness with worship.  Worship is truly giving praise and adoration in response to God's splendor and majesty.  The more we understand who God is the more we can't help but worship him.  It is a natural response for those who know God!

We all stand guilty at times of making worship about things that it really is not about.  In fact, our lives are an act of worship in total devotion to God (Romans 12:1-2).  This Sunday, would you come to church with a spirit that God would be the focus of everything--not our desires or comfort?  When we sing to him, give to him, listen to His Words, and pray to him, let's stand in awe of who He is and what He does.  Christ repeated the essence of worship in His earthly ministry several times when he told even the religious people to "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind" (Lk. 10:27).  He was repeating what was already recorded in God's Law to Israel (Deut. 6:4-7).

 This Sunday, let's come with prepared hearts to bring Him worship, praise, and adoration.