What Kind of Worship are You Giving to God?

November, 2008

by: Lisa Hughes

You don’t have to be a Christian long before you ask yourself, “How does God want to be worshiped?” Because we love the One who saved us, we want to do what pleases Him. This causes us to consider how we can worship Him as He would want us to worship Him.

The Scriptures give us different examples of worship—some that are pleasing to Him and some that are not. Cain and Abel are perfect examples. At some point God had instructed Adam and his family in how to worship and bring offerings to Him. We know this by studying Gen. 4:3-5: “So it came about in the course of time that Cain brought an offering to the Lord of the fruit of the ground. Abel, on his part also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and for his offering; but for Cain and for his offering He had no regard. So Cain became very angry and his countenance fell.”

What do you see in those verses? Verse 3 tells us that Cain brought an offering from his garden to the Lord. Obviously the concept of bringing an offering as a means of worship was already in place at this time. Verse 4 tells us that Abel, Cain’s brother, also brought young lambs from his flock and portions of fat to offer to the Lord. If we stopped reading here we would infer that God is pleased with any kind of offering we want to bring to Him. Just observing these men’s actions might lead us to believe that any thing that we want to offer to God will be fine with Him.

But verse 4 doesn’t end with Abel’s offering. It goes on to state that “the Lord had regard for Abel and for his offering.” What do you learn from that statement? We learn that God had regard or looked at Abel’s offering with favor. That means that it is possible to bring an offering to God that is pleasing to Him; it is possible to bring an offering to God that He will regard with favor. I am so encouraged to know that I can please God by the offering I bring to Him.

Verse 5 gives us added insight: “but for Cain and for his offering He had no regard.” Though the Lord had regard for Abel’s offering of his flock and the fat portions, God did not look with favor upon Cain’s offering from his garden. We see that Cain knew God did not look with favor on his offering from his garden because Gen. 4:5-6 says that Cain got angry and “his countenance fell”, meaning he had a sad, grumpy face. Everyone could tell he was mad just by looking at him. Cain brought an offering to God which was not what God required. Cain decided what kind of offering he wanted to bring to God. Cain knew what God required from His worshipers but he disregarded it. Cain wanted to worship God his way and he wanted God to be happy about it! Then when God didn’t look with favor upon his offering, Cain got mad and pouted! There is a lesson in here for me. Is there one for you? I am reminded that God is specific in how He desires us to approach Him in worship; He tells us in His Word what He expects of us. It is not for us to decide how we want to worship Him. We are to come to Him with offerings that are pleasing to Him.

J. E. Smith in his commentary called The Pentateuch observed some common features in the sacrifices and offerings Israel was to offer up to God. See if these components still play a part in your worship of God today!

1. “A worshiper could never come into the presence of God empty-handed.”

   What are you offering to God today? As a worshiper of God you are required to bring Him something, something pleasing to Him. We know from John 4:24 that we must worship God in spirit and truth. We are to worship Him with our whole heart, not just with outward actions. We are to worship Him in truth, not with hypocrisy or a disregard for His Word.

   Rom. 12:1 is very specific about what we are to bring to God. It says: “Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.” We are to present our bodies–our lives–to God. When we do this in a living and holy way, it is acceptable to God.

2. “The Hebrew word translated offering, (qorban) means literally ‘a thing brought near.’ This word contains a clue as to the significance of the sacrificial system. The sacrifices provided the means by which a worshiper could come into the presence of God.” [emphasis added]

   This is a wonderful and amazing truth! When we worship God we come into the presence of the Most High and Holy God, the Maker of the universe, and the One who chose you to be His child. What are you doing when you worship God? What are you thinking about as you pray or go about your day? Let us always remember that we live in the presence of God. He sees everything you do. He sees everything you think. Let us live in a way that pleases Him.

3. “In most cases, the offering was a domesticated animal. That which was most costly and valuable was given to the Lord. Moreover, the Law required that the animal offered had to be one without blemish or spot.” [emphasis added]

   God says that your heart is precious and imperishable (1 Pet. 3:4). Each day is an opportunity for us to offer up our hearts and lives to the Lord. He esteems your heart as valuable. Is it His? Our offering is to be holy, without blemish or spot. Is your heart clean? The Bible says that if we confess our sins God is faithful to forgive us of our sins (1 Jn. 1:9). Do you regularly confess and repent of your sins which you commit each day to Him? God is faithful to continue His work of holiness in us as we regularly confess our sins to Him.

4. “The gift which was offered depended upon the financial resources of the worshiper. The very poor could substitute birds in the burnt offering and grain in the sin offering.” [emphasis added]

   Every believer is to worship God. Every believer is to offer up his or her life to Him. We are all at different stages in our walks and we are each growing in our understanding of the Lord. But no matter where you are in your Christian walk you are to come to God in worship, thanking Him for redeeming you from death and sin.

5. “The worshiper was an active participant in the ritual. He laid his hands on the head of the sacrificial victim, thus identifying with that animal. The animal was a substitute for the worshiper. He slew the animal.” [emphasis added]

   Jesus Christ became our sacrifice. He became our substitute when we by faith accepted His gift of love. Paul understood this idea of substitution for our sin when He said in 2 Cor. 5:14-15, “For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died; and He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf.” Paul wanted to identify himself with Christ in every way because of the great sacrifice Jesus made for him. What about you? In what way can you no longer live for yourself, but rather, live for Christ? Can you think of a specific way to do this today?

Our God is worthy to be worshiped. Our God desires our worship. Our God has explained how we can worship Him. Will you worship Him His way? Will you worship in spirit and truth? Will you worship Him in holiness and with a whole heart? Will you offer up your life to Him as an act of worship? These questions are ones we must consider every day of our lives. “Come, let us worship and bow down, Let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.” (Ps. 95:6)