Wednesday, September 27, 2023
Therefore, through him let us continually offer up to God a sacrifice of praise, that is, the fruit of lips that confess his name. Hebrews 13:15
What Real Worship Looks Like
We all have a vision in our heads of what “worship” is supposed to look like. This vision can keep us from worshipping when we need to the most - in the midst of difficult circumstances.
God knows us inside and out and He knows how hard it is for us to get through the tough days, and the tough days are not void of Sundays. So many of us come into church on Sunday carrying the weight of the world in burdens, and church is a great place to bring them. Do not leave them at the door - bring them right down to the feet of Jesus.
Worship looks like what we can give. I think Jesus loves it when we can come to Him just as we are, hand our burdens over to Him, and worship Him - right in the middle of the tough times. When the walls are coming down, the medical diagnosis is not the one you want, you are going through a divorce or other relationship issues, the bank account is empty, praise may be the last thing you feel like doing. This is when personal sacrifice is required to worship. It takes an intentional action to lay it all on the altar, and praise Him, even when you don’t understand it.
Real worship looks like…
It may look like weeping.
It may look like singing.
It may look like a bowed head in silence.
It may look like face down on the ground in the privacy of your living room.
It may look like prayer at the altar.
Whatever you have to give Him, as long as you still give it, is the worship He wants from you. It does not always have to look like a smile on your face, hands raised, singing loud and proud. The best worship, the kind that is a balm to your soul, is the kind that is given out of a broken heart. Real worship looks like praising God in the real truth of our lives. He does not want us to come in false pretenses of a seemingly all put together life. He wants us to bring it all to Him, failures and shortcomings, and everything.
When we praise God in the middle of the storm, we are choosing to believe that even though things are not going the way we thought they would, and we don’t see our way through, God is still good and can be trusted. He is glorified and our faith will be strengthened. Real worship comes from a heart in good times and bad, regardless of circumstances.
Our God is always good and always deserves to be worshipped and adored, even in the hard times and when we don’t understand. Our sacrifice of praise falls sweetly on the ears of a Heavenly Father who loves us, cares about us, and longs for us to bring our burdens to Him. So do not think that you cannot come to church because you cannot be the perfect worshipper today. Come as you are, give Him your burdens and worship with what you have. It is all He wants.
For you will not delight in sacrifice, or I would give it; you will not be pleased with a burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. Psalm 51:16-17
