23 Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. 24 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth. John 4:23-24 NIV
What does it mean to worship God? Many of us believe that worship is what occurs on Sunday when we show up for morning service. The choir sings, the pastor preaches, scripture is read, we pay our tithes, we fellowship with others and then go home to live our lives until next Sunday. Preaching, prayer, reading of scripture, singing, and giving are all a part of worship. But true worship is much more than a routine; true worship comes from the heart and is pleasing to God.
When we worship, we acknowledge God’s worth. Our worship says that we accept God for who He is and that His perfection sets Him far above us, making Him worthy of the praise. This acknowledgement should not stop when the church doors hit our backs after Sunday morning service. The Bible says that we are to be “living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God- this is your spiritual act of worship” (see Romans 12:1). This scripture alone suggests an ongoing act of worship and that our lives should be lead in perpetual praise. Whatever it is that we do, we should do it unto the Glory of God.
Worship is not something to be approached half-heartedly. A clear example of what can happen when worship is weak can be found in Genesis 4:3-15. Cain and Abel both brought offerings to the Lord, but God showed Abel favor because his offering came with the proper attitude and Cain’s did not. God went on to instruct Cain in the error of his ways and warned him against sin (see v.3-7). But Cain was disobedient and instead of heeding God’s instruction, he murdered his brother Abel (see v.8). Cain also showed little reverence for God because he lied and then questioned Him (see v.9). Cain was then cursed and driven from the land, thus becoming a restless wanderer on the earth (see vs.11-12). His actions were in total opposition to the words God had spoken to him and this disobedience caused him to be hidden from the presence of God (see v.14). Outside of the presence of God, Cain’s praise and service would be of no consequence. But God is faithful and worthy of all the praise, because He spared Cain’s life and marked him for protection (see v.15).
Unlike Cain’s meager offering, true worship is heartfelt, sincere and it involves faith, obedience, humility, praise, and service. Abel was favored because of his heartfelt offering; he came before God with the best and the first of what he had and he did so faithfully (see Hebrews 11:4) and God was pleased with him. So whatever it is that we do…teach, preach, sing, dance, clean, write, paint, counsel, deliver mail, cut hair, or build websites… our hearts must be in it to win God’s favor. God has anointed each of us with gifts and talents to be used unto His Glory; so our worship must extend past Sunday morning to be effective in the Body of Christ- in Spirit and in truth. We must remember that God does not look at the outward appearance but at the heart of man (see 1 Samuel 16:7). Knowing the kind of worshipers that the Father seeks, we must renew our minds to understand that pleasing God is the heart of worship!
Prayer: Father God, we come before you praising and lifting the name of Jesus! We thank you Father for your grace and your mercy in the forgiveness of our sins, and continue to keep us from temptation. We exalt you Lord for the Almighty God that you are! Please touch each of our lives as we give them as living sacrifices to you and the work you started in each of us. Let our worship be pleasing and holy to you; look into our hearts and know that our worship is everything that you have ordained it to be. We look to you to fill us with the Holy Spirit and to guide us in the ways of righteousness. We pray this and continued blessings in Jesus’ name, Amen!
Read Psalm 100 and worship God for who He is and all that He has done!
