Worship IS The Point!

Why do we do what we do on Sundays? (Or Saturday, Friday...whenever you have worship times) Why do all these people all around the world gather?

I know, it's sounds like it should be a simple, straightforward answer. And yet...

Here's what I still hear coming out of today's churches:

• "We can't 'worship' with anything but the hymns."
• "We can't 'worship' with drums banging in the room!"
• "We can't 'worship' unless we do this, that and the other thing I like."
• "You can only do communion (or other ordinances) when the by-laws say we can."
• "It HAS to be done this way, or else we just can't 'worship'".
• "I'm not going to give anything until I like what we're doing."
• "I just didn't get anything out of 'worship' today."

Not once has anyone raised an argument about this with me and said, "I think what GOD WANTS us to do in worship is..." It is ALWAYS about what 'WE' want and what 'WE' think 'WE' need to worship. Oh, and not to beat a dead horse - WORSHIP IS NOT JUST MUSIC, IT'S A FORM OF WORSHIP! Okay, I feel better.

When will we, as Christians, finally realize that in order for worship to be what God intended it to be, we have to get out of the way and get obedient?

• The kind of worshippers that God desires worship Him in spirit and in truth.
• The true kind of worship ALWAYS carried with it a sacrifice - it cost us something.
• The kind of worship that impacts people is the kind that reveals sin, offers forgiveness and points us to the hope of the cross - to Jesus!
• Worship must have a sense of expectation, an eagerness to meet God at some point.
• The worshipper who is obedient to God and all He calls us to finds his/her worship to be freeing, convicting, inspiring and challenging. The 'outcome' of worship should be a renewed heart, mind and soul with a new found strength to accomplish all that God calls us to do!

The point of our worship HAS to be about what He wants - that's it. How we go about it may change as the culture around us changes, but he message is always the same: giving glory, honor, praise and adoration to God.

What does that look like for you, personally? Is your private worship different than the worship you share with the body? (There should be some similarities) What holds you back from engaging in and expressing yourself in your corporate worship time?

Take some time to wrestle with the question: what do I need to do to change my understanding of who and why I worship?

Hope it's as fun for you as it has been for me...keep me posted!