“If you use stones to build my altar, use only natural, uncut stones. Do not shape the stones with a tool, for that would make the altar unfit for holy use.”

Exodus 20:25 (NLT)

When David sinned with Bathsheba, he tried to cover his sin for about a year. Finally Nathan confronted him, and David wrote Psalm 51:

“Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts, and in the hidden part You will make me to know wisdom.”

Psalm 51:6 (NKJV)

God desires authenticity. This is especially true in our worship. The LORD spoke through Isaiah:

“These people say they are mine. They honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.”

Isaiah 29:13 (NLT)

You could also say that God delights in simplicity. The more complicated we make things, the more the things distract our attention away from God.

In giving instructions for how the altar was to be made, the LORD told Moses he was to make it out of earth or stone. But it was not to be made of hewn stone. In fact, no tool was to be used on it. As they offered their sacrifices to God, people would not be impressed by the carved stones. Their attention would be focused solely on the God they were worshiping.

Just yesterday a man approached me after our service to tell me how much he enjoyed the worship and felt the presence of the Holy Spirit. He also confessed to me that too often he has attended worship services that felt more like a performance than true worship. I know what he means. I would rather have a single worship leader with a guitar that is anointed than an entire band where the Spirit is not present. Genuineness and simplicity are the key.

Is there anything distracting you from worshiping in spirit and in truth? Then ask God to remove it so that your worship may be solely and sincerely of Him.

Listen to the complete podcast

Subscribe to receive a daily devo in your inbox:

Photo by Edward Cisneros on Unsplash