Why do we worship God?
There are many answers to this question. We worship God because there is no one like Him, matchless in beauty, righteousness, power and wisdom. We worship Him because it is the only rational response to His radical, sacrificial love for us made manifest on the cross. We worship Him because it is what we were created for.
True worship that flows from this place of awe, gratitude and right understanding of our place before God glorifies and pleases Him. But tragically, not all worship falls into this category. In fact, it is possible to insult God by the way we worship.
Counterfeit Worship
One of the most impactful passages of Scripture for me early in my ministry was Malachi 1:6-11. In this passage, God addresses a people whose worship had become dull and half-hearted:
"A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If then I am a father, where is my honor? And if I am a master, where is my fear? says the Lord of hosts to you, O priests, who despise my name. But you say, 'How have we despised your name?' By offering polluted food upon my altar. But you say, 'How have we polluted you?' By saying that the Lord's table may be despised. When you offer blind animals in sacrifice, is that not evil? And when you offer those that are lame or sick, is that not evil? Present that to your governor; will he accept you or show you favor? says the Lord of hosts. And now entreat the favor of God, that he may be gracious to us. With such a gift from your hand, will he show favor to any of you? says the Lord of hosts. Oh that there were one among you who would shut the doors, that you might not kindle fire on my altar in vain! I have no pleasure in you, says the Lord of hosts, and I will not accept an offering from your hand. For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name will be great among the nations, and in every place incense will be offered to my name, and a pure offering. For my name will be great among the nations, says the Lord of hosts." (Malachi 1:6-11)
In Malachi's day, the Israelites were going through the motions of worship, using the right words and making offerings at the appointed times. But their hearts weren't in it, and that was evident by what they brought to offer to God. Instead of bringing God their best animals to sacrifice, as He commanded and as He deserved, they brought the blind, lame, and sick. The ones they had no other use for. The ones they would never dare to offer to an earthly ruler. And they expected God to bless them for it!
Their error seems obvious. But how often do we do the same thing, giving God scraps of time here and there when we remember, or a bit of change when we can spare it? Honestly ask yourself, are you giving God the firstfruits of your time, money and resources? Or are you giving Him what is leftover after spending the bulk on yourself or worldly pursuits?
A Call to Reverence
In the passage, God says that He wishes someone would shut the door to the altar, so that the people would stop worshipping in vain. God was not fooled by the Israelites then, and He is not fooled by us now. His standards have not changed. He is not content with scraps. Even if our churches are full, if we're not coming with hearts of worship, He would rather shut the doors. This is why the author of Hebrews warns us to "offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire" (Hebrews 12:28-29).
God issues a harsh rebuke through Malachi, but He also gives an invitation: "Return to me, and I will return to you, says the Lord of hosts" (Malachi 3:7). And He tells them how: "Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need" (Malachi 3:10). This is a key window into God's heart. He isn't harsh just for the sake of being harsh. He wants us to repent and turn to Him. He wants us to have right relationship with Him, and He wants to open the windows of heaven and pour down blessing on us!
But we can't enjoy the benefits of His authority without fully submitting to it. It's not enough to call Him "Father" and "Lord" without honoring Him as such with our lives. If your heart is divided, now is the time to repent. He is worthy of our full devotion, and He will be pleased with nothing less.
