Worship Him Passionately: Is This God?
Monday, October 16, 2023
Living Free Every Day®
A ministry of LivingFree.org
Today's Scripture
"Jesus replied, 'You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you, for he wrote, "These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me."'"
Mark 7:6 NLT
Thoughts for Today
God wants us to worship him passionately. But what does that look like? Do you ever look around your church during a worship service and think, Is this God working, or is this just a show? There may even be times you see things that seem inappropriate.
While we don't want to participate in insincere worship, at the same time we do not want to quench the Holy Spirit and what he may be doing. This week we will look at some ways we can worship God in spirit and in truth.
Consider this …
Second Samuel 6 offers an interesting story of a conversation between King David and his wife Michal. A great celebration and time of worship filled the streets because the Ark of the Covenant had been returned to Jerusalem. David was exuberantly dancing. Was it appropriate? Was God in their midst? David and Michal had different viewpoints. Here is the gist of their argument.
Michal: How wonderfully the king has distinguished himself today exposing himself to the eyes of the servants' maids like some burlesque street dancer!
David: In God's presence, I'll dance all I want! He chose me over your father and the rest of our family and made me prince over God's people. . . Oh yes, I'll dance to God's glory—more recklessly even than this! And as far as I'm concerned . . . I'll gladly look like a fool . . . but among these maids you're so worried about, I'll be honored to no end (2 Samuel 6:20-22 MSG)!
Michal's jealousy and rude behavior toward her husband seem obvious. David was indeed worshipping God, passionately and unashamedly, but perhaps even he needed a bit of an attitude check. Do you sense spiritual pride and even selfishness?
Do you ever wonder if you are worshipping in spirit and in truth? Are you seeking to honor God rather than impress others? This week we will look at finding balance in our worship and some components that make up worship that pleases him.
Prayer
Father, help me to always worship you freely in spirit and truth. May my motives and attitude be pure. In Jesus' name . . .
These thoughts were drawn from … A Passionate Pursuit of God: Drawing Nearer to Him by Dr. Mike Chapman. This study teaches participant how to move into God's inner circle, how to listen for the voice of God, how to enjoy the freedom of worship, and how to embrace the mission of worship. This 45-minute format will accommodate groups with limited meeting times. Note: This curriculum was written especially for small groups, and we encourage people to use it that way. However, it can also be used effectively as a personal study for individuals or couples.
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