The Most Glorious True Worship of God

While preparing to present a class on worship for my church, I wrestle with weakness. It is then I am reminded by the spirit, God's word through His apostle Paul says:

2Corinthians 12:10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

And also:

1Corinthians 1:27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28 He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not —to nullify the things that are, 29 so that no one may boast before him.

As I struggle,I can turn to remember that in my weakness, when I delight in them, in insults, hardships, persecutions and difficulties, it is He alone that will get the glory! Worship is His people glorifying God, and it is not worship of God unless He accept it, unless He receives it as worship.

Then as I ponder this, I am overwhelmed by the fact that these paradigms fill the scripture and usually it is the exact opposite behavior or action which pleases God. Oh, and by the way, is pleasing God indeed true worship? I would like to propose an interesting proposition. Many have told me that I have a plethora of talents seemingly distributed to me in an unfair lot by our Lord. Many of the things I do are publicly displayed in the presence of people (music, teaching, leading etc.). Yet the more time I spend with our Lord, the more He seems to impress that the hidden things done for only His eyes as He asks are the most powerful acts in His kingdom.

What are some of these hidden acts? Being awakened by God asking me to pray for someone He has placed in my mind, and doing so. Hearing His, still quiet voice in the middle of my day, reminding me to pray for some thing or someone who I know is going through tough times and could use a bit of support. Grabbing a piece of trash in my path and carrying it to the nearest trash receptacle on my way, or taking extra shopping carts all the way back to the storage stall, along with mine.

I don't know what God will ask you and me to do, but He will and is asking. The question is, are we responding and doing? Do we only do the ones that will be appreciated by another? Or is doing it before our heavenly Father sufficient praise and glory for us? Could the most glorious worship be, in fact, something done as God asks without the eyes or lives of anyone else knowing?

Recently, my wife asked me to take out the trash. I stopped what I was doing, walked over to the trash can, removed the stuffed like a Thanksgiving turkey trash bag and took it to our can. When I returned, Carrie had a funny look on her face. She was flabbergasted and finally mustered up enough composure to thank me for doing it (without being asked or reminded 10 times, or later in the evening after she went to bed, or forgetting all together). This simple change in behavior spoke volumes of love into her heart, and I continue to try and do it every time she asks.

Sometimes God will ask us to do what appears by the world's standards and fruitless and 'below us' to do. I have come to believe that when I do these apparently pointless things He asks, amazing things happen, especially if no one knows I did it or prayed about it or graciously was Christ as I went about the unnoticed ordeal.

So the question is this, who brings more glory to Christ? The one whose outward appearance is spot free? The CEO of a highly successful business? The trash man picking up our curbside behemoth tubs? The preacher? The teacher? I think the full answer may surprise us. That 90 year old convalescing grandmother in the rest home praying her guts out for the safety of her grand children especially their relationship development with Christ may accomplish more for the kingdom of Christ than a whole host of people doing things for others and not praying at all!

So the questions are these. Whose voice am I hearing and following? Who sees what I am doing? Who gets the glory for the 'accomplishment'? What is my true motivation for doing the task? And at least one answer is clear. If it is He alone who sees and knows what I have done in response to His request, my motivation is for His glory alone, and if God receives it, it is true worship! All other forms of worship can be wrestled to waste if even a hint of personal pride enter in my heart. The offering, requested by God, done in absolute secrecy may in fact be the most glorious true worship of God.