I love the house where you live, O Lord, the place where your glory dwells. Psalm 26:8
Worship is a love relationship. God is like a man who loves a woman. He calls her just to talk, thrilled to hear her voice. He writes her poetry; he sends her flowers and candy. He tells her she is beautiful. And, to his joy, he wins her heart!
She responds with letters and poems of her own. She tells him how handsome and intelligent she thinks he is. She lists his virtues and welcomes his kisses; in fact, she returns them with passion. The man has become her joy and delight.
It's interesting that in the Bible the Greek word for "worship" literally means "to kiss toward, to kiss the hand of, to bow down and kiss the feet of."
Here's a question for any of us who have experienced a romantic kiss: Did you kiss because you had to or because you wanted to? When you gave your sweetheart a kiss, was it out of duty or out of desire?
It was out of desire, wasn't it? It was because you wanted to-because you liked it! Would a person really want a kiss from someone who felt that he or she had to give it? No! Why not? Because the person's "heart" wouldn't be in it.
The same is true for God. Why do you worship today? Is it out of duty or desire? Do you really worship God or do you just go to church?
O Lord, "because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you. . . . My soul will be satisfied . . . with singing lips my mouth will praise you." In Jesus' name, Amen.
See God's love, power, presence, and purpose in your life every day!