Is God out looking for you?
Worship is a way of life. We are constantly worshipping something—Everyone worships!
Religion is that which binds a man. Every man is bound somewhere, somehow, to a throne, to a government, to an authority, to something that is supreme, to something to which he offers sacrifice, and burns incense, and bends the knee.—G. Campbell Morgan
Here is an incredible thought, God looks for people who worship Him in spirit and truth.
“It’s who you are and the way you live that count before God. Your Worship must engage your spirit in the pursuit of truth. That’s the kind of people the Father is out looking for: those who are simply and honestly themselves before him in their worship. God is sheer being itself—Spirit. Those who worship him must do it out of their very being, their spirits, their true selves, in adoration.” (John 4:23-24 The Message)
True worship happens when I can be myself before God and adore him. The goal is to live this way 24/7. I believe true worship has a great deal to do with your mind.
NIV Mark 12:30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’
God asks for my mind, my body, and my will. For the most part, my mind controls my body, and my will controls my mind. I usually think about what I want to think about. To worship in spirit and truth we need to keep our minds focused on God. Try thinking about God all day today and let me know what happens.
At the church I attended before I moved, our pastor recommended one day a week of fasting. I had always though fasting meant “don’t eat”. He put a different spin on it…at least for me…in that he recommended giving up something that is a daily part of our lives that you can give up for a day. I gave up electronics…television, internet, radio, iPhone etc. Wow! What an eye opener it was! I didn’t realize how much of my time, therefor my life, those things commanded. And not only did I not miss them, it was amazing how much more “real” my worship became when it became my focus…not just something I did filling in the gaps of the rest of my day. And it’s not that their is anything inherently wrong with those things, it’s what we do with them. Just the same as money, food, relationships or possessions. As Martin Luther said “Whatever your heart clings to and relies on, that is your God”. Or as Tina more simply puts it “Wanna see what someones real priorities are…look at their checkbook and calendar”. Mine say I still got some work to do…….