Worship is often regarded as the most important thing in Christian life. Learning from scriptures, it seemed to me we may have gotten our priorities wrong. An example can be found in Matthew 5:24. We are to lay our gifts at the altar, reconcile with those we are having a problem with and come back to offer our gifts. Reconciliation supersedes worship. How many Christian actually do that? This instruction is one of the clearest from our Lord Jesus. Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. In Isaiah 29:13 the Lord was not impressed with worship without the heart. Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men: A heart after God and reconciliation are 2 important priorities that supersede worship. God has to be the master of our hearts. There is a fear of God that taught by men according to God. What then is an authentic fear of God? I suggest from the passage it is not paying God lip services. Glorify God with the heart and that means giving our full attention to what God desires of us. To become the kind that reflects God. How can a mere human do this? By yielding to the spirit of God. Recognizing we need to abide and rely on (give in to) the Holy Spirit every single moment of our lives. Surely it is a spiritual exercise and you grow in that aspect of time and practice.

May we seek to let God's word work in our lives. May we learn the priorities of life so that our worship can be a pleasing offering to God our Lord.