Worship devotion - Being Human - Isaiah 29:13a

Isaiah 29:13a              The Lord says: “These people come near to me with their mouths and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.”

            Worship is a very humbling experience because it requires us to set aside time to come into the presence of God. As we enter His holiness, we recognize that we are unworthy and unprepared to encounter His sacred Spirit. We also understand that we have come to serve God by acknowledging that He is our Creator, as well as the Controller of our lives. In other words, worship requires us to let go of who we are, in order to let God be who He is. Worship is not about us; it’s all about God.

            Being human, we get distracted during worship. Instead of focusing on the Lord, we think about other things – our homes, our families, our work, or our schools. We know that we should meditate and ponder on what the Lord has done, but instead we mull over our problems and allow our minds to wander. Sometimes we miss out on the best parts of worship because our thoughts are elsewhere. We don’t do this deliberately; it’s just that we are human beings who get easily sidetracked.

            It’s not a new problem either. Long before there were any cell phones, tablets, or devices, people still got distracted. Even 2,700 years ago, when Isaiah was prophetically given today’s Bible verses, God’s people still found it difficult to focus during worship all of the time. Just like us, they also had their worries, issues, and distractions which is why Isaiah calls them out. The people might have shown up and gathered together to worship God, but their hearts and minds were on other things. They couldn’t sustain their focus on God; they couldn’t free themselves from other diversions.

            So does that mean that worship is ineffective? Certainly not. When we gather together in worship, we are with a body of people who greet and befriend us, encourage and support us through both the good and bad times in our lives. We also share wonderful moments when the Spirit touches our hearts and souls together, so that we can build upon our relationships with God and one another. We come together to worship God in church; we leave together to serve God in the world.

Questions for personal reflection

What distracts me during a worship service? How do I get re-focused on God?

Prayer:            Lord Jesus, thank You for calling us to worship God in church. Thank You for the songs we sing, the prayers we pray, the stories we hear, and the scriptures that are preached. Thank You also for the people who worship alongside us – our families, our friends, our Christian sisters and brothers. Bless the worship we attend and help us to focus on God. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to comment on today’s message or ask questions, please send your email to Traqair@aol.com.

Today’s image is one of John’s latest Pentecost drawings. If you would like to view a larger version, please click on this link: Pentecost.

Worship devotions: What is Worship? - Psalm 95:6-7

Psalm 95:6-7                        Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker; for He is our God and we are the people of His pasture, the flock under His care.

            Humility is never easy for me. Just like most stubborn Scots, I want to be fiercely independent and completely free, individually shaped and personally motivated by my own choices. I like to think that what I say or do is important, insightful, and meaningful. I want my life to have a purpose, so long as I can mold it into whatever I want it to be. I desire to be a self-made person, which frequently leads to pride and vanity, causing me to get too big for my boots or become swollen-headed. The high horse I am riding or the pedestal I have made for myself begins to falter, and I am left sprawling on the proverbial floor, dispatched from the lofty heights I have proudly climbed. However, I also get the feeling that those around me know of that experience, too.

            Did you know that worship is meant to be an act of humility? Many folks misguidedly believe that worship services are meant to fill them, bolster them, support them, and uplift them. They feel that their time is precious, so worship should have a positive purpose that cheerfully changes them and really inspires them. Nothing could be further from the biblical truth. Worship, true and honest worship, is meant to humble us in the awesome presence of God. Even the old Hebrew words for worship, as in today’s psalm, literally mean to lie down prostrated, face first to the ground, as an humble act of faith before our Holy, Almighty, and Majestic God!

            Some congregations go halfway on this by kneeling during their worship services, but most Christian folks sit in their church pews and sadly sometimes get distracted by their mobile phones or devices which command more of their attention. People say they are ‘bored’ of worship, but what is really happening is that they are spiritually disconnected to God and don’t really understand that we bring worship to God. He is the audience, we are merely meant to be His humble servants.

            So, here’s a challenge for all of us: next Sunday morning, let’s all prepare ourselves to humbly worship God at church. Let’s also remember that the service is not about us in any shape or fashion – it’s all about serving God (why do you think it’s called a worship service, and not a worship experience?). Perhaps if we re-learn to be humble in worship, we will feel closer to God by the time the Benediction is given. J

Questions for personal reflection

What do I bring to God in worship? How does worship help me to serve Him humbly and faithfully?

Prayer:          Lord God, we want to worship You truly, but sometimes we let our pride or personalities get in the way. Help us to become aware of the humble nature of real worship, where You are at the center of its purpose, and that we are merely Your servants. In Your Holy Name, we humbly pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to comment or ask questions about today’s message, please send him an email to Traqair@aol.com.

Today’s attached image is one of John’s latest Celtic Christian drawings. It’s called “Celtic Spirit.” If you would like to view a larger version, please click on this link: Spirit.

Worship Devotion: Worship Blessings - Matthew 4:10

Matthew 4:10  Jesus said to him, "Away from me, Satan! For it is written: 'Worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.' " 

            I love worshipping God. It’s good to come among a group of like-minded people and sing together our praises of God. Being with Church family week after week gives me the strength, encouragement, and challenges to face whatever takes place during the next seven days. Without church, I don't know how I could live. Without worship, I don't think I would have any faith, hope, or love.

            Worship to outsiders looks like a dull religious thing. They don't understand the positive power and unique experience that being in God’s House each week creates. They think that worshippers are full of weak, unintelligent, and misguided people. They don’t know about the spiritual pull that God gives to His people to come together to be with Him. It’s a mysterious event where folks are drawn together by the bidding of the Holy Spirit and brought into the favorable, sacred presence of God. There’s nothing like it on Earth; there’s not even anything like it in Heaven because people are already gathered there.

            Going to worship on a regular basis does not make us superior Christians, but it does build up our faith in Christ and love of God. Worship helps us to humbly come before God to praise His Name, seek His forgiveness, and look for His guidance. It’s a filling station for empty spirits; it’s a sacred haven for troubled souls.

            When Christ confronted the devil about worship, He plainly and effectively stated that worship was meant to be directed toward God only. There is no other object of our worship; there is no other being that we are meant to focus upon. When we worship God, we are fulfilling our destiny, our purpose, as well as the meaning of our lives. We are created to worship God, so we are at our most complete when we come to church as believers and worshippers, as well as pilgrims and disciples seeking and receiving His love.

Questions for personal reflection

What does worship mean to me? How do I humbly serve God through regular worship?

Prayer:            Lord Jesus, we are called to worship Your Father, our Creator, to serve His purposes, and to find meaning in His Kingdom. Thank You for boldly confronting the devil by declaring what true worship is. Help us to humbly and authentically worship God each day of our lives, as well as with Your gathered people. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to comment on today’s message, or ask questions, please send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.

Today’s image is one of John’s latest miniature paintings called “Christ Icon.” If you would like to view a larger version, please click on the following link: Christ Icon.