Worship isn’t true worship unless we get it down to the heart level. This daily devotional looks at how worship has to be sincere and not ritualistic.
Nuggets
- God does not like it when our worship is not sincere.
- Ritualism leads to a routine worship of God that takes our eyes off Him.
- Praising God with all our hearts is based on our attitudes.
Devotions in the Preparing for Worship series
We talked in the last devotion about how we need to be worshiping God 24/7/365. “Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name” (Heb. 13: 15 ESV).
But we do worship in fits and starts. It definitely isn’t continual.
How do we get back to a heart of worship?
Let's Put It into Context #1
Here is a running list of what we’ve discussed previously.
Let's Put It into Context #2
Matt Redman has a beautiful song entitled The Heart of Worship. This is where we want to go.
Related Links
Matt Redman
What Is the Problem?
“And so the Lord says, ‘These people say they are mine. They honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. And their worship of me is nothing but man-made rules learned by rote’” (Is. 29: 13 ESV)
God does not like it when our worship is not sincere.
Our worship should be a genuine worship of our Creator. We should worship God because He is Sovereign God.
But too many times, our worship becomes routine. We do the same things over and over and lose sight of the meaning of why we are doing them.
Repetitively doing this is called ritualism. Gladstone gave us a definition. At first I thought it was a good one. Then, I think he stopped short.
What Gladstone said was ritualism was when anything intrudes to hinder our worship of God. Well, in a way.
Resource
Ritualism doesn’t just slow down and impede our worship. We can think we are worshiping when we are doing it the same way each time.
The problem isn’t necessarily that there is no change.
What Is Wrong with That?
Ritualism leads to a routine worship of God that takes our eyes off Him.
The problem is that we get in a rut. When things become ritualistic, we put the emphasis on the ceremony instead of on God.
We’re going through the motions.
God doesn’t want us on autopilot. He wants to be our Pilot.
Think of it this way. We are commanded to worship God.
But ritualism takes what is necessary and pure and makes it a sin. That is just what Satan wants!
It is 180 degrees in the wrong direction.
Gordon contended that the danger of formal worship is that we deny that God is Sovereign God.
Resource
In the past, we haven’t called it formal worship. We have said that we are nominal disciples. Nominal disciples are those boasting they loved God without even trying to imitate Him — those who dig on religion and its rituals without having a change in heart.
To read a related devotion, click the button below.
We have to worship God because of His attributes. He is eternal, unchanging, all powerful, all knowing, all present God. He does not have to depend on someone else ruling with Him.
God is loving, faithful, and true.
So, what do we do?
What Is the Right Way?
“I will praise you with all my heart, Lord my God, and will honor your name forever” (Ps. 86: 12 CSB)
Praising God with all our hearts is based on our attitudes.
Still a little confused about how we worship with our hearts? Let’s see what Benson had to say.
Resource
Our main purpose of worship has to be to honor God. We do this through being ready, cheerful, and with a passionate intensity.
Being ready for worship means we have tune out the things of this world. I know. This is hard sometimes.
On the way to pick up Pastor Steve Sunday, my check engine light came on in my car. That was frustrating frightening, and infuriating.
I had to refocus because it was the first time I would be teaching a Sunday School class and leading the music in the Sunday morning worship service. I needed to focus on God, not my problems.
I — and we — need to be ready to engage in “… singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in [our] hearts to God” (Col. 3: 16 ESV) starting with the first hymn or song.
We shouldn’t wait until the pastor gets up to speak. We’ve missed half of the opportunity to praise God.
We are not to just act like we mean to worship God — we need to really worship God.
We are to glorify God in this life and in the next. That has to be our priority.
I don’t think this means that we have to be jumping around, clapping our hands, to show our intensity. That would be outward.
God is more interested in inward. Are our hearts passionate about meeting with our Father? Is that the most important thing for that moment?
Do we really mean our conversion?
Making the Connections
“And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him” (Col. 3: 17 ESV)
It all comes down to attitude. How are we going to approach worship? What choices are we going to make to ensure our focus is fixed on God?
God is very specific in His description of how we are to worship Him. We must follow His directions or expect consequences for our actions.
How Do We Apply This?
- Genuinely seek God.
- Be consistent in our worship.
- Be sincere and honest in our worship.
- Repent of our sins as needed.
- Worship only God.
- Fulfill our duty in worshiping God.
Resources
Searching for and Seeking God
Hearing His Word (Rom. 10: 17).
Reading His Word (Rev. 1: 3).
Praying to Him (Heb. 4: 16).
Studying His Word (Ac. 17: 11).
Meditating on His Word (Ps. 1: 1-2).
Memorizing His Word (Ps. 119: 11).
Father God. You have made us to praise You. Yet, we must choose to praise You. You are very specific in how we are to do this. Help us to follow your commandments so that we may give You the honor and glory that You deserve. Amen.
What do you think?
Leave me a comment below (about this or anything else) or head over to my Facebook group for some interactive discussion.
If you don’t understand something and would like further clarification, please contact me.
If you have not signed up for the email daily or weekly providing the link to the devotions and the newsletter, do so below.
If God has used this devotion to speak with you, consider sharing it on social media.