By Pastor Mark Moreno

Worship

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking on this SoundCloud link.

I have gone to more concerts the past year than any other time in my life. I don’t know if that trend will continue, but it has been pretty fun! Today’s image is of a concert in Denver, where I got to hear and experience the band Metallica! It was an amazing show.

It was an experience that engaged my senses: The sound of course was filling the air; the vibration of the music was felt in my chest, the visual lights, pyrotechnics and showmanship were on full display, and I smelled an odd combination of things as well!

While it was a fun experience, I am struck by how different a big concert is from a worship service. There is an analogy I like to use:

Worship in church is far different from a concert or play. Here are some questions to help figure out the difference:

• Who is the audience?
• Who are the actors/musicians?
• Who is the director?

Let’s take those three questions, last to first. The director could be the pastor, helping orchestrate the service, the music, the reading. The actors/musicians could be the worship leader and band, the readers and the pastor. The audience, well, that would be God Himself.

What does worship look like when we realize we are the ones that are preparing for worship to give our very best to God? I suppose sometimes we could walk in for worship and hope that the sermon is good, that the music is good, and we evaluate the service on how it felt to us. If we think that way, we’ve got it all wrong!

God gets to His seat and He expects that we will bring our best to worship: Faithfully attend, listen to His Word, receive His gifts and confess our sin.

Worship is not like the big concert. In worship we give God all honor, glory and praise. We even give him our sin. But He gives us so much in worship as well: He gives Himself. He gives forgiveness, life and salvation.

I pray that you have a church home, that you get the opportunity to worship regularly and hear God’s Word for you. If not, I encourage you to start looking. Find a church that not only meets your needs, but a church that needs the gifts you bring. May God be praised!

Copyright Family of Christ Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado