Useless Worship

The following is from my Quiet Time Journal. I am currently going through the book of Colossians. This particular scripture passage (like so many in Colossians!) has direct application for worshipers and worship leaders, thus prompting me to feature it on this site. You may view all my QT entries thus far in Colossians by going to my online Quiet Time Journal. Blessings! – Dwayne

Text: Colossians 2:20-23 Theme: Worship that is not initiated and directed by God is worldly and powerless. Key verses: “Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of this world, why, as though you still belonged to it, do you submit to its rules?” (v. 20) These are all destined to perish with use, because they are based on human commands and teachings. Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence.” (v. 23) What God said to me: Far too many people, even many of my own people, wallow in self-motivated, self-initiated, self-imposed worship. They completely miss the point of worship. Worship is about me and what I want and who I am. The focus is in no way on them and on you. Dwayne, you can’t kill your flesh and render it of no power and pull. You can’t put yourself on a cross and it have any spiritual affect whatsoever on your sinful nature. You must reckon yourself to be dead in Christ. His death is the only one of any consequence. You literally died in him, not for and in yourself. Furthermore, you can’t give away something that is not yours to start with. You were bought with a price; you are not your own. Who are you, who is anyone, to think you know how to dice up the pieces of your bodily sacrifice to me? Who are you to know how I intend to use you and get glory from you? The sacrifice doesn’t tell the priest what to do with its carcass. All you can do is lay yourself on my altar, acknowledge you are dead to your own wants and abilities, and allow my Spirit to use you and live through you. That is the kind of worship I seek from my people – worship initiated by my Spirit and directed by Biblical truth. What I said to God: Holy Lord, what do You want me to do today? Where do You want me to go? How can I serve others and serve You? Help me keep those all-important questions in the forefront throughout my day and my life. O Lord, you open my mouth and my lips will praise You. O Lord, You well up inside me, Holy Spirit, and pray and praise through me. You initiate and determine my worship. Reasonably, if You create my worship, You will, in turn, be pleased with my worship. Thank You for such calm assurance and simple instructions! I want to love, adore, and praise You with all that is within me.