Unhindered Worship
Daily Old Testament Reading: Psalm 105, 132, 2 Samuel 6-7
Daily Focus Passage: 2 Samuel 6
In 2 Samuel 6, we find that David leads the people to return the ark of the covenant to the proper location. As the ark enters, David is overwhelmed by the moment and rejoices in the Lord. His rejoicing includes dancing nude before the Lord. His wife, Michal, saw him and was ashamed of his action. She confronted David because she felt he had become undignified in his worship. In reality, David rejoiced out of overflowing joy for the Lord. Thus, he readily became undignified in the eyes of the world to rejoice in the Lord. Notice key marks of true worship.
MARKS OF TRUE WORSHIP
Genuine worship occurs when the real us rejoices in the real Thee. This worship centers on glorifying the Lord, bringing him honor and praise, and making his name known. There are many marks of genuine worship, but here are five to remember.
First, obedience to the will, way, and Word of the Lord is an act of worship. Obedience reflects one’s complete trust and reliance upon the Lord. At the same time, when we respond to the Lord in obedience, we acknowledge our position as a servant and his position as our Lord and King. Thus, obedience reflects a rejoicing life because it reflects one’s understanding of God’s greatness and authority.
Second, worship occurs when our focus is on the Lord alone. The Lord must be the central focus of our lives and our hearts. Our rejoicing must not be given to others; the Lord is worthy of praise. Our focus on the Lord means that we remove the possible hindrances to worship, like the voices or opinions of others. When we worship the Lord and enter a state of focus, we declare that nothing but the Lord matters.
Third, worship requires a sense of freedom. Sometimes this freedom in worship occurs in a structure. At other times, the freedom of worship leads to authentic rejoicing and praise at the moment without concern for anything else. Freedom in worship occurs when we worship with a proper focus and follow the Lord in obedience. The natural response is freedom of worship.
Fourth, we worship with a heart that is unashamed of the Lord. When our heart is unashamed of the Lord, we do not care what others think about our worship or our following of the Lord. An unashamed heart rejoices openly, boldly, and constantly because the worshipper wants to honor the Lord and make him known. An unashamed response flows from freedom and promotes freedom because it aids in breaking the barrier to worship that builds when others attempt to restrict worship.
Fifth, we worship in response to our remembrance. We remember the character and work of the Lord. When we remember who the Lord is and all he is done, we become worshippers in response. We glorify his name from the declaration of his work in our lives and the evidence of his presence. When we take moments to reflect and remember the Lord, we are driven to the response of worship.
David worshiped the Lord without concern for what others thought. He willfully worshiped in a manner that people saw as undignified but as the Lord saw as authentic. When you consider your worship of the Lord, are you willing to be undignified in the eyes of the world to worship the Lord authentically? How would you grade the presence and activity of these five worship traits in your life?
