Who’s Worshiping Whom?

“LORD you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name, for in perfect faithfulness you have done wonderful things, things planned long ago” (Isaiah 25:1).

There is not a single time in the Bible where God is not the object and the purpose of worship. There is not a single instance in the Bible where God worships something or someone. God is always the one being worshiped.

That makes sense, right? Of course that’s right. God is God after all.

I am glad we all agree on that.

Think about the last several times you went to worship at your home church. Think about your attitude and posture regarding God.

• Did we show up to worship doing our best to be found pleasing to God? Or did we show up thinking, “Ok, God. I’m giving you an hour. Impress me.”
• Did we prepare ourselves with our heart, soul, and mind to be ready to worship God and honor him in our worship? Or did we show up thinking, “I wonder if the sermon and the music will be any good?”

Who’s worshiping whom?

I think we all get that God is the one to be worshiped. But we have skewed and perverted the practice of worship because of our consumeristic attitudes.

It’s not that sermons and music shouldn’t be good. But that’s not why we gather to worship. The staff and I work hard to do our part to make sure that the sermons and the music is indeed good. We do everything we can to rid distractions from worship. But, ultimately, the reason why we gather to worship is simply because God is God and God is worthy of our worship. Because God is God, we show up so that we can be found pleasing to God.

Friends, God is God. God is the one to be worshiped. In every single instance in the Bible, God is always the object, the subject, the recipient of worship. We are to be found pleasing to God in worship.

So, here are some practical take aways:

• Show up in time. You wouldn’t make the President of the United States wait for you. Show proper respect. Show up in time.
• Show up with an expectant heart. After all, God is going to be present. And God wants to bless you and love you.
• Show and be present. Don’t be looking at your phone. Don’t check the scores. You are in worship service for one reason and one reason only: to worship God. So, do that. Be fully present. Worship God!