True Worship

Today's post is an excerpt from my new book, 52 Days of Grace, a devotional designed to help you draw closer in your relationship with the Lord as you become more aware of His grace in your life.

True Worship

"Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God--this is your true and proper worship.  Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.  Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will."             (Romans 12:1-2) 

How do you worship?  In this country, when we hear the word “worship”, visions of musicians and singers leading us in songs of praise to God comes to mind.  But this passage tells us that worship is much more than that.  It is the constant act of offering our flesh, the very thing that can work to separate us from God, as a living sacrifice to Him.  The secret to true worship of God is giving our own desires continually over to Him so that He can use us as He wills.

This means when I feel my irritation level rise when dealing with difficult people, I need to immediately go to God and give Him my pride and allow Him to love them through me.  Or when the traffic is eating away my time and I feel my stress levels rise, I give Him my desire to control my own destiny and submit myself to the position my Father has placed me in at that moment, trusting Him with my time.  Or when tension mounts in my home, I will drop my own selfish point-of-view and ask God for His, allowing me to see the hurt that lies beneath the harsh words.  All of these scenarios are forms of worship of God.  All of them result in God’s work and thus glorification of His Name.

The world and our fleshly desires are constantly pulling us toward them, but a love of these things douses the richness and miracle of the closeness of God’s Spirit within us.  Let us instead invite God into every aspect of our lives, resulting in true worship that pleases Him.

Worship is more than singing, but a constant surrendering of our own desires.

How are you vulnerable to adopting the ways of the world?

When do you easily let your fleshly desires rule instead of submitting yourself to your heavenly Father?

Heavenly Father,

It is easy for me to think I can only worship You in a formal, corporate setting.  Your Word, however, tells me that each moment I live provides an opportunity to give praise to You.  Help me to constantly be aware of the worldly and fleshly influences on my life, and help me to choose You instead.

In Jesus’ Name I pray,

Amen

We are constantly receiving worldly messages telling us we are good enough, or that we have what it takes to succeed.  In truth, God's message runs counter to this message of self-fulfillment and inner-goodness.  

If you'd like to know more about God's grace and the role that grace plays in your faith, pick up a copy of 52 Days of Grace today, available on Amazon.  It's daily readings based on Paul's letter to the Romans will help you more fully appreciate your utter dependence on the grace of God.