Worshipers not Worship

I remember when I rededicated my life to the Lord, I had 1 primary desire and that was to learn how to pray. That's what I wanted to figure out, what was this mystical magical thing that happened that made grown ups kneel on concrete floors for hours on end. I pursued it with all of my heart and asked every christian I met, 'How did you learn how to pray'

With time, I started to gain some traction with the whole praying thing until I found my solemn prayer times being interrupted with songs flowing from my heart. Despite my best efforts to stifle it, the songs became more frequent until it eventually burst into dance.

Now depending on which context you have met me in I am either a really good singer or a really bad one- I don't have the skill to bring out consistency unfortunately. And the awareness of my musical ability or lack thereof would kill my prayer sessions and leave me wishing that I could sing like the worship leaders at my church.

Until my mindset got corrected, have a little look at this passage:

John 4:23 (NIV) 23 Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.

Did you notice that the Father isn't looking for worship but worshipers.

Not for a song, a style of music but a state of heart.

The word worship comes from two words that describe placing worth or value onto something or someone. It is to become acutely aware of who He is, what he is like and ascribe value to that. It's heavy and weighty and absolutely beautiful.

And so no, God isn't looking for affirmation in His identity because He is insecure, rather He is looking for those who would see him and respond.

It's this everlasting call to draw near to Him. Where neither party is prostituting the presence of the other. A sacred space of intimacy and above all else relationship.

Have you ever taken time out of your busy schedule just to become aware of him?

[Let me go and do just that, until next time]

When we restore relational prayer to it's rightful place, the petitionary prayer and all the other aspects of the Christian life are restored to their rightful place as an expression of our worship.