Broken Worship

 But the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not trust me enough to demonstrate my holiness to the people of Israel, you will not lead them into the land I am giving them!” Numbers 20:12

This is the 46th year since I first started following Jesus. In that time I have seen much that is beautiful, holy, and pure in the church, and much that is not. I have seen the destruction that legalism and a religious spirit do to the church. I have also observed the damage done by a lax and irreverent one as well. My personal view these days is that we suffer more from the effects of the latter than we do from the former. I think we're blind to the consequences of it all.

In Numbers 20, the Israelites, as they so often did, were grumbling about their lack of water. God, as He so often did, overlooked their rebellious attitudes and directed Moses to "tap" a rock that God had chosen and that water would flow from it. Moses, angry at the people, struck the rock in anger. In doing so, he behaved in a manner that was not what the Father had intended or wanted. God said that he had not "treated Him as holy." In short, Moses was totally irreverent towards His God. Moses forgot whose presence He was in. He was not focused on his God, but upon himself and the people. He would pay a heavy price. He would not enter into the Holy Land that God promised them all.

Overly harsh you say? This is only one instance where the Father confronted the lack of reverential worship towards Him. There were many others. You may say, "Well, we're living under grace and not the law now," but nowhere in Scripture, Old Testament or New, is the holiness of God and His expectation of our reverence and fear diminished. We are still to treat Him as holy in all places. Not just in His sanctuary, but in our homes, workplaces, and neighborhoods. Not by rigid rule keeping but by a relationship founded upon His holiness, His majesty, and His infinite power. We think too little of these no matter where we're at. Sometimes I wonder if we think of them at all. What proof does our behavior give? Do we really live in awe and wonder in the presence of the God we call awesome and holy?

We've become so lax in our "worship." So much so that I think what we call worship is more often an offense to Him. We are to worship Him corporately and individually in ways that impact an unbelieving world and people so as to awaken in their hearts a hunger for the God we say we know. 

I close with a happening that took place in a recent time of worship in our church. The Holy Spirit moved upon our worship team in a very real way. What moved me more than anything else was the response of a young woman who is one of our worship leaders. As His Spirit moved, she fell to her knees before Him in adoration and worship....and in brokenness. It was powerful to see. I don't believe she was aware of anything or anyone but her Holy God. Broken worship. To what degree does it mark your life, your church? O Lord, may we come to you always in broken worship. Such worship will always be received by You. May it be our life offering to You.

Blessings,
Pastor O