Worship

Although I've purposed to live a life of no regrets, I've discovered once again it's almost impossible. Sometimes we just plain make poor choices and other times until God reveals things to you, you don't even realize you walked off in your own way. It may not be necessarily a "bad" way but not God's "best" for you or your family. It has impressed upon me to be more purposeful in praying for God's guidance for our family. As I strive to walk in this path, I'm praying for an ear to hear and feet to obey whatever direction He's sending us in.

We've been visiting different churches the past few weeks. My children are so used to great praise and worship music in the church we've been a member of for the past 16 years that even if the Word is preached great and the teachings for their ages are challenging, some of them aren't interested. That saddens me. I want my children to worship the Lord with the whole hearts whether it's great praise music, an old hymn, in silence, prayer, the reading of God's Word, participating in communion, and/or serving their family or others. My prayer is that they realize they can worship while studying the Word, as they work, and in Biblical teachings. It's not limited to one act, but is done properly when the heart and attitude of the person is in the right place. I hope they can worship the Lord in a crowd that looks like them but if they found themselves in a totally different group that they have absolutely nothing but the Lord in common, they can worship the God of creation with their whole heart. It's easy to believe one is "free" in worship because we don't follow traditional religion's services. One can even become quite arrogant that if they were as full of the Spirit as we are, they would have more modern worship music, a great band, great lighting, latest technology, yada, yada, yada. Those things can be just as traditional in the charismatic world as 3 hymns and a prayer can be in traditional church world. I also believe in both places you can find a heart for worship. I enjoy both when the folks have a heart after God and it's God-centered. I don't mind each of us having different preferences because God created each one of us as unique individuals. Whether it's traditional hymns, modern praise songs, loud concert-style worship, I'm okay with their choices as long as we're God focused and don't completely miss the point of coming together to worship. Jesus tells us that true worshipers will worship God in spirit and in truth (John 4:24). This means we worship from a pure heart. Finney says, "The Savior says the pure in heart are blessed because they shall come into his presence and enjoy him forever. But more than this is true; they are blessed here in time. They have in their souls a sense of sweetness and purity; they are conscious of loving God and of having great peace of soul and purity of heart--which, of themselves, work out great peace and joy." Our attitude and heart should be towards God not matter what worship service we find ourselves in. For God alone is worthy of all our worship and praise. Worship is done for God and God's pleasure alone! True worship is felt inwardly, and then comes out through our actions. King David had a pure and grateful heart towards God and he worshipped Him with all that he had. So many of the Psalms reflect David's passionate heart for worship. My prayer is that my family will also be men and women after God's own heart. That their lives will be to glorify and exalt God. Although the one hour of worship in church is good and sometimes even great; it's the moment by moment acknowledgment of God and all His power and glory in the day in and day out moments of life that lead them into a lifestyle of worship.