Say you received an invitation to a State of the Union address. Would you be excited? Would you tell your friends? Would you be curious as to why you were chosen? How would you prepare to go? Would you accept the invitation? This lesson is actually about our worship together, our act of giving reverence and honor to God, but as we progress through the lesson, think about how you answered these questions and how they apply to your approach to worship.

In Deuteronomy 30:15-20, Moses calls upon the people to walk in the ways of God, calling it a choice between life and death. However, he would not force them into that choice. It had to be theirs to make and to own. In worship, we have to choose to be reverent, requiring a sincerity that lip-service cannot emulate.

Furthermore, Psalm 95 emphasizes the greatness of God. We are inferior beings before Him and should look upon with a certain wonder and awe. Our hearts should be softened before Him, and we should see our place before Him. In this, Deuteronomy 12:1-12 records how the people of Israel will conquer the lands of promise, but these promises contain an admonition to remember God in their successes. Finally, John 4 records Jesus’ interchange with a Samaritan woman at the well of Jacob. He reveals, in verse 24, that God is seeking people who will worship Him in sincerity, on His terms, and with the right focus.

How Do We Worship?

What are our last thoughts as we go to sleep Saturday night? Are we excited about the opportunity to praise God? I Corinthians 14:15 records Paul writing that we should praise with both body and mind. Imagine singing such passages as Psalm 3 in a distracted, uncommitted way. Do we sing with the conviction of those who truly believe? Do others around us know we enjoy praising God? Are we afraid of others’ opinions of us if they knew we consistently worship God? Philippians 4:4-7 tells us to center our lives around God and that others should be able to see the joy.

Romans 12:1-2 and I Corinthians 6:19-20 reinforce that We have been more than chosen. We have been purchased by Christ’s sacrifice, and we should sacrifice ourselves in His service. Ephesians 1 explains how God adopts us through Christ according to His eternal plan to provide salvation to His Creation. Can we turn down an invitation that has come at such a price?

Preparation is also a factor in our worship. The more prepared we are to worship, the less distracted we will be. Engaging our minds is part of giving Him our best. Think about all He has done for us, all He has prepared for us. Worshipping Him should be a priority in our lives, and He deserves our prepared and honest worship. An active and involved worship is how we draw near to God.

Conclusion

We look to our worship services to provide us strength for the week to come, but what if we lived every day in worship to Him? How much stronger could we be in our faith? God is seeking those who would worship Him in sprit and truth. It is important to Him, and He has given us the best of Heaven for our sake. Can we say the same of our worship for Him?

lesson by Donn Koonce