A Day-by-day devotional

January 23, 2023

Delightful Worship

Chronological One Year Bible Reading Plan: Genesis 42-44

Scripture of the Day: John 4:23-24

Blasting joyful sounds come out from the speakers amplifying the melodies created by a keyboard, a drum set, several guitars, and a violin, with the accompaniment of at least five voices on microphones. Fog emitted by a smoke machine, together with various colored stage lights, add up to the already charged atmosphere. Then, with lyrics projected on the wall, the congregation joins in the singing. All these comprise a typical modern day worship set-up on a Sunday church service.

Being a proponent of the old fashioned, I have always preferred hymns over other praise and worship music genres. They just speak more volumes to my soul by way of sweet poetry in the words, and the beauty of musical arrangement often touches my heart in a deep, profound way. Therefore, although I appreciate how contemporary worship is conducted, I would still go for the singing of a good old hymn anytime of day.

This is not to say that the contemporary and modern way of worship is sub-par to the more traditional type. It is, after all, not the art but the heart of worship that is more significant. We are free to worship God in any form. It is not the beauty of the harmonic sounds created by the worship band that would lead our worship to the throne room of God. Instead, it is the condition of our hearts.

Musical instruments played louder and voices raised higher wouldn’t make God hear our worship better. Fact is, even when we whisper, He hears it. The heartbeat that delights to worship the Lord sounds louder in God’s throne room than the blasting drum beat devoid of profound surrender. It is not the well-rehearsed sound of the choir that is inhabited by God, but the praises that emanate from the very souls of His people.

It is a common misconception that worship is an activity that we bring to God as an offering. We consider worship to be our gift to God. We seldom think of worship as God’s gift to us. When our worship is based on self, and centered on the outward appearance and sound of it, we would come to believe that it is us doing God a favor when we worship Him. In reality, it is the other way around. When we come to worship the Lord, He opens up His heart and pours out onto us the gift of communing with Him. Worship means giving Him due reverence. It is an act of attributing Him the proper worth that is His alone. Thus, when we worship God, we are in fact, receiving the gift of knowing Him more deeply, as He descends from His throne room in heaven, to meet and inhabit the holy fragrance emanating from our praise that ascends towards Him up above (Psalm 22:3).

Reflection: Do you worship God just to feel good about yourself, like a way of performing and fulfilling a duty or obligation? Or do you worship Him for Him – His glory and magnificence?

Prayer: I worship you almighty God because you are worthy! Your splendor goes beyond what I can describe with the words of my lips. Whatever I fail to say with words, allow me to pour out from my heart. Amen.