What it means to bring our best in worship

Every day we're reading or listening to part of the Bible together and sharing thoughts with you. Today it’s Bern Leckie:

What did I like about today’s passage?

I used to read this and think God was rather fussy and sensitive about details, but as I've been considering what God has been training his people for through the law, I can see how important worship without compromise is for our future.

I don't think it's the case that God can't stand to look upon anything bent or wobbly. It's more that the quality of what we bring in worship reflects the quality of our hearts for worship and the strength of our desire to put relationship with God into our lives as a top priority. Worship is meant to be special because God wants us to have special relationships with us

What is the best thing I can bring in worship? I'm surprised that the answer seems to be... ourselves. There are festivals to mark important symbolic occasions for God's people, and lots to keep them busy sacrificing, but would God get hungry without some more burnt lamb? No, God seems keen to get people together and ready to offer themselves in worship - like Paul writes in Romans 12, "offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God..." But hang on, what about God's standards and not accepting anything with a defect? I'm thinking this is all pointing to something amazing - that God would accept as perfect those whose faith brings them to worship wholeheartedly.

What did it show me about Father God, Jesus or the Holy Spirit?

God calls his people to a complete lifestyle of worship, relationship and wholeness in him. As well as wanting personal commitments from us, God also wants us to take part in community celebration, building relationships with him and each other. God wants these things to be great and is not prepared to see us compromise anything with his name on it.

What am I going to do differently as a result?

There are definitely times when I feel I'm going through the motions of worship but my heart isn't in it. I will look to invest more wholeheartedly in worship over the next few days (which isn't just singing in church, but practical service before and after Sunday).

Who am I going to share this with?

People I pray and worship with, and hopefully with someone else outside of church I might get to have conversations with about church and God.