Check Your Worship Attitude
“Make a joyful shout to the LORD, all you lands!” This is a quote from Psalm 100. It continues, “Serve the LORD with gladness; come before His presence with singing.” (v. 2) Listen to more of this wonderful song – “Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.” (v. 4)
What is your attitude when you gather with other believers in a worship service? What do you bring to the table? Christians are known for our ability to put together a great table of food for a covered-dish fellowship. A fellowship meal is the result of each person (or family) bringing something to the table. And everyone shares in everything that is on the table. In fact, people often comment on how good an item is and ask for the recipe. Knowing that, you would never dare bring a dish that didn’t represent your best effort. A proper attitude is also necessary when you come to the fellowship of worship. What do you bring to the table? The atmosphere and result of the experience depends on your attitude. What you get out of it has much to do with the manner you approach it. Do you come to be entertained, judging the ministry from the platform against your expectations? Or do you come to participate in a time of worship, allowing the ministry from the platform to lead as directed by the Holy Spirit? What is a proper attitude for worship? The psalmist mentions making a joyful shout, serving with gladness, coming with singing, entering with thanksgiving and praise, blessing the Lord’s name in gratitude. The motivation is: “Know[ing] that the LORD, He is God; it is He who has made us, and not we ourselves;” (v. 3) In verse 5, the writer indicates that God’s “mercy is everlasting, and His truth endures to all generations.” Review your worship attitude!
Sin cera, Erik
Erik O. Garthe is Associate Pastor at Canton Baptist Church in Baltimore, Maryland.
