Maturing in Worship

Since hearing one of the best sermons ever on Sunday, I have continued to ponder and pray about how to apply the message to my walk with the Lord. Specifically, when Pastor Doug spoke of the angel telling Joshua to take off his shoes because he was on holy ground, he explained that perhaps we do not hear from God because we need to mature in our worship. The other points of the sermon were easier to apply. I had to pray and ask the Lord what maturing in worship means for me. I am certain it meant more than worshipping barefoot! So for two days I have asked the Lord how I can mature in my worship. This morning in my quiet time I got my answer. It wasn't an easy one, but it was the answer - and God even confirmed it when I read my devotional book an hour later. You see, I have always considered myself a worshipper. I worship wholeheartedly in church. My car is often a sanctuary on wheels, and when I am home alone I often put on youtube worship videos. So, that makes me a worshipper, right? NOT! What God showed me this morning is that it is easy to worship with the music to stimulate the senses. I mean, who doesn't worship with Rob Burkey's powerful voice filling the room or with Chris Tomlin blaring on the radio? Yesterday, I went for a drive and watched the sunset. It was beautiful and I put in North Way's Worship CD and began to worship - because my eyes and ears were stimulated and worship was a natural response. But what happens when the music stops? How much do I worship when I am not looking at a sunset but staring at a stack of problems? When I am no longer in a room full of fellow worshippers but all alone at home, does the worship continue? Not always. God showed me that maturing in worship means to keep your heart in an attitude of worship all the time. It means worshipping Him when a job lead falls through. It means worshipping Him when your heart gets broken and you don't understand why. It means worshipping Him when the friends who promised to stand with you are nowhere to be found. Worship is an act of recogizing God for who He is and where He stands. He is above all. He is in control of all things. And He loves us more than we can imagine and He wants good for us even when life seems to be falling apart. Keeping my heart in an attitude of worship is the next step in maturity for me. I'm thankful I heard God on this one.