Logiken Latreian
God loves us so much that He wants to shatter the myths many people have bought into regarding worship.Many people think that the word “worship” refers only to religious activities: the things we do while in a church building. To people who have bought into this myth, worship has been compartmentalized as an activity that has little or nothing to do with the rest of their lives. There is a spiritual disconnect between their actual, often-hidden lives and the image they present at a church service. While some have convinced themselves that this is true worship, in reality, it is little more than an empty expression and a worthless spiritual insurance policy. It is sad to think that some people have adopted this approach in the false hopes that they could garner favor with God, even if the rest of their lives continue with no regard for Him. But God, who sees the hidden things of our hearts, minds, and lives, wants no part of this type of false worship.Here’s how God put it to the prophet Isaiah:
“The people worship me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me” (Isaiah 29)
God hates mere attendance and empty religious activities over authentic worship. I remember leading worship many years ago on an early Saturday evening when the Minnesota Twins were in the post- season baseball playoffs. While many people were engaging with God in heartfelt worship, one man had headphones on as he listened to the game. His heart and head were in the baseball game, not with God. I wanted to tell this man to go where his heart really was— a baseball game— and stop imagining that God wanted his mere attendance at a church service.God desires to meet with all of us in worship, including that man who chose to listen to a baseball game during a church service. However…Worship is an “all or nothing” proposition. Anything less than giving our all to God is not real worship, but an empty myth.The irony is that we can’t worship God by trying harder on our own. The only way to experience authentic worship is to ask God to lead, empower, and teach us to worship Him in Spirit and Truth.The Apostle Paul wrote this:
“ Therefore I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies [dedicating all of yourselves, set apart] as a living sacrifice, holy and well-pleasing to God, which is your rational (logical, intelligent) act of worship (or service)”Romans 12:1
The phrase “reasonable worship or service” comes from the Greek words ‘Logiken latreian’. The meaning of this phrase is this: When we remember all that God has done for us, worshipping Him makes good spiritual sense and is expressed in the reality of everyday living.Worship and life are intertwined. If we truly love God, our worship of Him will be expressed in the times when we are with others in church settings, and also evident when we are alone and in the world.I'd love to hear from you if you are seeking this kind of worship. You are the kind of worshipers God is searching for and loves to embrace.God bless you.Chris AtkinsPlease share a link to this blog with a friend, and check out my new book “The Isaiah Encounter: Living An Everyday Life of Worship” at Barnes and Noble and Amazon:Barnes and Noble:http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-isaiah-encounter-chris-atkins/1122720646?ean=9781630477523Amazon:https://www.amazon.com/Isaiah-Encounter-Living-Everyday-Worship-ebook/dp/B019CCJLXI