As we begin 2024, it’s a good time to take stock of our attitudes toward God and whether we are giving Him the honor and glory He deserves. This first devotion considers how we worship the Lord:

IN WORD We are worshiping creatures by nature. It’s why we were made. A glance around our world reveals a panorama of worship. Our culture alone includes an abundance of styles, a plethora of deities, a multitude of definitions, and myriad motives.
Considering the central role of worship in the life of a human being—it is our entire reason for being, as well as the eternal activity of the saints in heaven, according to the Word—we might do well to consider what God wants it to be like. Does He prefer informal or formal? Ritualistic or spontaneous? Noisy or quiet? Dignified or recklessly passionate? Nearly everyone has an opinion on these alternatives, but they aren’t really the heart of the issue.
What God desires most has less to do with how we express our worship than with the spirit behind it. In our adoration of our Creator, God seeks inspiration and integrity, sincerity and a spirit of sacrifice. He wants our outward expression to match our inward attitudes. He wants us not to worship ignorantly, but to know who He is. He wants it to be real. That’s hard for us. We fall into error so easily: We’re either too emotional or not emotional enough, too rigid or too unstructured, too self-conscious or not self-aware enough.
Most of all, we’re apt to turn a worshipful heart into a routine behavior in the blink of an eye. What was sincere devotion yesterday is a performance for God’s approval today. What was once an act of passion is now an act of obligation. Our hearts can grow cold faster than we ever thought.
IN DEED What is your worship like? Is it a Sunday ritual or a frenzied emotion that you can put on and take off? Is it limited to one style of music or a particular church? Most important, is it more than skin-deep? God seeks those whose worship emanates from deep within. He desires legitimate praise and integrity between heart and mouth. He wants to be the One we treasure most. Most of all, He wants you. All of you. “To worship God is to realize the purpose for which God created us.” – Herbert Carson (“Worship the King” by Chris Tiegreen)

Where is your heart of worship? Take time to reflect on Isaiah 29:11-24, Ezekiel 33, and Matthew 15:1-20 this week. Ask the Holy Spirit to examine your attitude toward the Lord, and pray for a wholly committed heart that puts God rightfully as number One in every aspect of your life. As you do, it will open your life to experience the fullness of God’s Presence to enable you to live fully. Have a blessed week! – from Singapore, Pastor Sam