Come Ready

“Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the LORD, our Maker!” —Psalm 95:6

Today, millions of people will go to church to worship the one true God. I hope that if you are reading this, you will be going or will have already gone to church. If you are going to church, I would ask that you prepare your heart to worship. God desires our worship. He is jealous for it. Worship is serious business. It is not just singing, meditating, giving money, or hearing the Word; it is giving to God our hearts—our allegiance, our love, our obedience, our sin, and the essence of who we are. Worship is adoring God for who He is, reflecting back to Him what He means to us, and as we do so, He communicates His presence to us.

Worship is serious because of who is involved—God. Satan got kicked out of heaven because he sought to be worshiped (Isaiah 14:13-14; Ezekiel 28:15-17). The Old Testament talks time and time again of the failure of God’s people in turning away from Him and worshiping the creation rather than the Creator.

In the New Testament, Satan tempted Jesus to worship him, but Jesus rebuked him, saying, “You shall worship the Lord your God and Him only shall you serve”—Matthew 4:10. When Cornelius bowed down to worship Peter, Peter lifted him up, saying, “Stand up; I too am a man”—Acts 10:26. He knew that he was unworthy to receive worship.

When Paul and Barnabas were at Lystra, the people believed them to be the Greek gods Zeus and Hermes and sought to sacrifice to them—an act of worship. What did they do? The Bible says they...

“…tore their garments and rushed out into the crowd, crying out, ‘Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men, of like nature with you, and we bring you good news, that you should turn from these vain things to a living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them. In past generations He allowed all the nations to walk in their own ways. Yet He did not leave Himself without witness, for He did good by giving you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness.’ Even with these words they scarcely restrained the people from offering sacrifice to them”—Acts 14:14-18.

In the book of Revelation, when John the apostle had seen all of the glories of heaven at the end of time, he fell down in front of his angelic guide in order to worship him. And what was the angel’s response? He said, “You must not do that! I am a fellow servant with you and your brothers who hold to the testimony of Jesus. Worship God"—Revelation 19:10.

God desires our worship. Therefore, we need to be prepared to go into His presence. So, before you enter into the sanctuary, calm your heart, focus your mind, and give unto Jesus the greatest gift you can give—your worship. Amen.