Living WorshipMostra

“Acceptable worship”

The story of Cain and Abel gives great insight about worship. We can gain a practical understanding about worship. First, worship is doing something. It’s stopping your normal routine and intentionally doing something for the sake of worshipping the Lord. Second, it is giving something. Both Cain and Abel brought an offering to the Lord. In the same way, in our culture, we should give something to the Lord. There is so much that we can give: time, money, energy, our lives, etc. Third, worship is pleasing someone. This is what set the worship of Cain and Abel apart. The offering Abel gave was received with favor. It was acceptable to the Lord and met the standard that God had set.

We can go through the motions and do the things that look like worship. We can give to the church, to others, and to God. However, just because we do these things, it isn’t automatic that we are pleasing God. A popular song says it well, “You search deeper within, through the way things appear. You’re looking into my heart.” (Heart of Worship by Matt Redman)

Think about it:

With the things we do to worship the Lord, are we pleasing God?
As a living sacrifice, is your life pleasing to the Lord?
Is what you do in the work place, at school, at home, when you go out, is that pleasing to the Lord?