With some, worship is a chore. But with others, it is a meaningful event. Some look at worship as a passive time, and others see it as an active time. How do you view your worship?
Worship is made meaningful...
...when it has direction.
We are to direct our worship so that it does not lose its meaning. (Matthew 4:10; Ephesians 5:19; Psalms 95:1,2,6). Are we consciously directing our worship to God? Do we ever sit through a worship period without even having God enter our minds? (John 4:24)...when it is anticipated. (Psalms 122:1)
Do we look forward to our worship? By anticipating it we exhibit the attitude of joy in our looking forward to it....when we are prepared. (Luke 22:8)
Do we prepare for our worship in the days beforehand? A wholesome life itself sets the stage for a proper worship. But if we live in sin, we won't look forward to our worship to God. Walking the straight way makes worship something that we will naturally anticipate....when it is intense. (Psalms 29:2; Acts 2:42; Acts 4:31; Acts 16:25,26)
Our worship cannot be casual. It must be fervent....when it is genuine.
It must be real - not imitation. Today in the religious world, "artificial" motivation is so common. People are turning worship into a time of entertainment. Worship was never intended by God to be self-serving. God is the audience in true worship, not us. We need to be more concerned with what we can put into our worship, not how we can be entertained by it.
Matthew 4:10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
Ephesians 5:19 Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;
Psalms 95:1,2,6
1 O come, let us sing unto the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation.
2 Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms.
6 O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker.John 4:24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
Psalms 122:1 I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the LORD.
Luke 22:8 And he sent Peter and John, saying, Go and prepare us the passover, that we may eat.
Psalms 29:2 Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.
Acts 2:42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.
Acts 4:31 And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.
Acts 16:25,26
25 And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.
26 And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed.
