Joyful Worship

Each Sunday I have opportunity to worship with my church family. We sing; we pray; we listen; we learn; we read Scripture. When my worship is "right," it brings great joy. When it is not, it is just noise or filling time.

What makes the worship "right"? Me. Or rather what's going on inside of me. Are the songs and music and Scriptures focused on God? Am I looking for a personal boost, something I can gain from worship? Successful worship, "right" worship, true worship is for God's glory, not for me.

Do I learn and grow in worship? I should. But that should be a by-product of giving praise and worth-ship to God. If my attitude is on what I can get out of church time, then I've missed the whole point. But too many times that's where my focus is. What did I get out of it? Did the music speak to me? Did the Bible teaching help me? Me, me, me.

As I have been looking for joy, I am finding that what blocks joy more than anything is me - pride gets in the way. "I'm not getting anything out of this." (What did I put into it?) "It didn't speak to me." (How was I listening? To what was I listening?)

Come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the LORD our Maker. For He is our God, and we are the people of His pasture, the sheep under His care. (Psalm 95:6-7)

Today's Joy: Worship that focuses on God