December 3

Written by Bill Grandi on December 3rd, 2018

The importance of corporate worship has been a recurring theme throughout this year’s time in NMM.  This is a good “cap” to it. I’m going to focus on why worship is not about me. What does it mean when I say life is not about me:

  • It’s not about my wants, needs, and feelings.
  • It’s not about my comfort, pleasure and ease.
  • It’s not about getting my personal definition of happiness answered.
  • It’s not about my satisfaction and contentment.
  • It’s not about how many of my dreams I get to experience.
  • It’s not about my successes and achievements.
  • It’s not about how I successfully avoid difficulty and suffering.
  • It’s not about how well my relationships are working.

That sort of puts corporate worship into perspective. IMHO much of what passes for worship today is about making me feel good; getting me hyped up; how all this benefits me. Much of my life is concerned about the same types of things: my personal happiness, contentment, and well-being. But worship like life, and life like worship, is so much more. It is not based on want I want or feel or need; it should be based on what can I give to God. It is not me as the focus; it is God as the focus. It is not my needs and wants; it is what can I give Him.

“Father, Paul wrote, ‘Oh, the depths of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of Go!…For from him and through him and to him are all things.’ I echo those words. You are so much more than a magic genie. You are God!! Worthy of my praise. Worthy of my focus. May today be the start of something revolutionary with you. Let me whole focus be on You and not me.”

 

4 Comments so far ↓

  1. Ryan S. says:

    Bill, good summary of what corporate worship is not about… and that is certainly me.

    I am embarrassed to really say how many local churches my family visited after moving to Nashville, TN nearly 16 years ago.

    We were looking for that “perfect” place where my family could benefit from all the activities, groups, music, etc.

    Weekend after weekend we visited a different church thinking we would first find a place to attend, then look at purchasing a house. What I thought was a noble and honoring venture, really was more about us seeking a place that would meet all our Sunday morning needs.

    It wasn’t until several years later when moving to Florida that we had a paradigm shift… Corporate worship wasn’t about what I could get from the service… It was about coming together with other believers to worship our Father in Heaven… To make Him the center of our focus. To make Him the reason we gather in the first place.

    It is important to gather, to be reminded… even if just for a small portion of the week, that I am not the center. God is!
    It is important to re-calibrate my sights on the center of the bull’s eye so when I am in the world the rest of the week, my focus is not on me.

    Ryan S.

    • Bill Grandi says:

      I don’t believe you are alone Ryan. We are a generation of church hoppers and your given reason for looking is the reason why so many move around. it is not about the worship and even corporate worship but how it makes me feel. I appreciate your honesty…and your new “vision” for worship.

  2. floyd samons says:

    Well said, Bill. It’s about giving. It is then; when we give with a proper heart and perspective, we get more than can be measured by mere human means.