Motivated by a grateful heart.....

True worship.

What is it really and how do we do it "right"?

(Insert pantie bunching here. Please don't, though. I know there is no "right" way to worship....I'm just using that word as a way to describe how we know if He feels it. Read on....with your panties on straight. Thankin' you.)

Been asking God to show me better ways to "worship" Him. I've been so busy the past month or two that it FEELS like I haven't been giving my all to God.

And I haven't. I know that and I'll be the first one to admit it.

I wondered what I'd find as a definition for worship: worthiness, respect, reverence paid to a divine being. I then looked up reverence: honor or respect either felt or shown.

Naturally I asked Him to help with that. How could I better show Him my respect and reverence? How could I better put Him first? I knew I needed to not just rearrange my schedule, but put Him in my schedule to begin with....my time in the Bible has been severely lacking. Scheduling time for that was one way. God showed me a few others.

Took Him awhile though. I really do think God needs my help with getting things done. Really. His time management makes me nuts. He is probably chuckling about that right now since Him and I BOTH know that my help is NOT needed.

Any hooo.....

Here is what He showed me.

I am a "two service Christian". I heard that term on Sunday and I loved it. Mark and I both are actually. We serve during one service and attend together the other. Service to others....That's WORSHIP.

Loud music in the car....singing at the top of my lungs when the mood hits me. I don't sing well....the opposite actually, but God doesn't care. In fact, I'm pretty sure there are some songs where He is plugging His ears while tapping His foot. Lifting my voice to God....That's WORSHIP.

Working on a budget, preparing to combine two houses, discussing how to have as smooth a transition as possible. Mark and I have been working on that a lot lately. Working together as a team, my submitting to his leadership and him seeking my opinion. Honoring each other and loving like Jesus would....That's WORSHIP.

And then He showed me this: TRUE WORSHIP IS MOTIVATED BY A GRATEFUL HEART.

What does that mean? In order to do an assessment of how I am worshipping, I need to start with my heart. Am I grateful for my blessings or grumbling because I want more? I can do all the "right" things but still not be truly worshipping God if my heart is not grateful. Ouch.

So I'm gonna keep on working on that. I'm gonna make sure my heart is grateful and not bitter. With that will surely come honor, respect and reverence for my God.

And He feels it....even when I don't know if I've got it "right". That's what makes God so cool.