What does God really want from our worship?

“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)

There is something beautiful about simplicity—whether it is a walk in the park, enjoying a sunset, or telling someone, “I love you.” When it comes to our worship, God wants us to keep it simple and sincere.

The altar was a place where people worshiped the LORD by offering sacrifices. God gave specific instructions about His altar. It could be made out of earth or stone, but the stones had to be uncut. No engraving tool was to be used on them. God did not want anything to distract from the simplicity of worshiping Him. The uncut stones kept the altar simple, so that attention was directed not to human craftsmanship but to the LORD.

God also requires sincerity 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)

Recently, a man told me after a Sunday service how much he enjoyed our worship because he felt the presence of the Holy Spirit. He also said 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 leader with a guitar who is sincerely worshiping than an entire band where the musicians are more concerned about a polished performance than about loving God. True worship doesn’t need to be elaborate. When it is simple, sincere, and centered on God, the Holy Spirit can work powerfully in our hearts.

“God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”

John 4:24 (NKJV)

Is your worship of God simple, sincere, and from the heart?

Photo by Edward Cisneros on Unsplash