Doing church
I was sitting in church last Sunday watching what was going on wondering to myself if what we do as church worship is truly for the most part worship? I was listening rather than singing because I didn't know the words to most of the songs the music leader was leading the congregation in. Though I enjoyed the music very music and didn't have a problem with it. I was thinking "Is this truly worship?" "Am I truly worshipping?" What about during the sermon? Is that truly worship? Or is that the exhaltation of a man speaking what he believes God is saying to him? I walked away not for the first time on Sunday thinking that perhaps what we call worship isn't truly worship at all, but rather something else.
Then, as I am thinking about that, another thought crosses my mind, "What does God think about what is going on?" "Is it even possible to know what God might think of this?" The verses in Isaiah come to mind telling us that God doesn't think like we think and His ways are not like our ways. So, who am I really kidding anyway? How in the world can I know what God is thinking? Other than that He hates hypocrisy and lying.
Because when you get right down to it, God looks at the whole experience on a different level than we do. He looks at motives and attitudes and the heart. He examines the Spirit and the soul and the reason why you came to church in the first place. His examination is transparent through us. But, still I can't help but wonder what God really thinks about us and what we do or don't do? Is it seen as holy, profane, annoying or is God truly pleased with it?
I am convinced that much of it is not worth anything and is very man centered. But, at the same time there is a lot of that that I can't control, so I need to first make sure that my own heart is in the right place, so it isn't profane and worthless in his sight. I need to make sure I am not being hypocritical. Because when you get right down to it there will always be people who are hypocrites in church until Jesus comes again. And I can't straighten all of that out, but I can do something about myself.
Then, as I am thinking about that, another thought crosses my mind, "What does God think about what is going on?" "Is it even possible to know what God might think of this?" The verses in Isaiah come to mind telling us that God doesn't think like we think and His ways are not like our ways. So, who am I really kidding anyway? How in the world can I know what God is thinking? Other than that He hates hypocrisy and lying.
Because when you get right down to it, God looks at the whole experience on a different level than we do. He looks at motives and attitudes and the heart. He examines the Spirit and the soul and the reason why you came to church in the first place. His examination is transparent through us. But, still I can't help but wonder what God really thinks about us and what we do or don't do? Is it seen as holy, profane, annoying or is God truly pleased with it?
I am convinced that much of it is not worth anything and is very man centered. But, at the same time there is a lot of that that I can't control, so I need to first make sure that my own heart is in the right place, so it isn't profane and worthless in his sight. I need to make sure I am not being hypocritical. Because when you get right down to it there will always be people who are hypocrites in church until Jesus comes again. And I can't straighten all of that out, but I can do something about myself.
