Does God always accept your worship? Is there anything we could do that would make God say, "I do not want your worship"?
Let's take a look at God's response to the worship Israel gave to Him. Let's see if we can learn any lessons from it.
Let's take a look at God's response to the worship Israel gave to Him. Let's see if we can learn any lessons from it.
"What are your sacrifices to Me?" asks the Lord. "I have had enough of burnt offerings and rams and the fat of well-fed cattle; I have no desire for the blood of bulls, lambs, or male goats. When you come to appear before Me, who requires this from you - this trampling of My courts? Stop bringing useless offerings. I despise your incense. New Moons and Sabbaths, and the calling of solemn assemblies - I cannot stand iniquity with a festival. I hate your New Moons and prescribed festivals. They have become a burden to Me; I am tired of putting up with them. When you lift up your hands in prayer, I will refuse to look at you; even if you offer countless prayers, I will not listen. (Isaiah 1:11-15 CSB)
One thing that we need to notice from this Isaiah passage is that the things that God says He hates are the things that He requires from Israel. For example, God says:
- "I have had enough of burnt offering..." but God requires them.
- "I have no desire for the blood of bulls..." but God requires it.
- "Stop bringing Me useless offerings..." but God requires them.
- "I despise your incense..." but God requires them.
- "I hate your New Moons and prescribed festivals..." but God requires them.
Why does God "hate" the worship that He requires of them?
If we continue on in Isaiah 1, we will find our answer.
"Your hands are covered with blood (sinful living). Wash yourselves. Clean yourselves. Remove your evil deeds from My sight. Stop doing evil. Learn to do what is good." (Isaiah 1:15-17 CSB)
The people of Israel were coming to worship God and they were not even concerned about the sin that was in their lives. God doesn't want that kind of worship. we can see this clearly in these other verses.
In Psalm 69, David clearly knows how to worship God. He shows this by saying:
"I will praise God's name with song and exalt Him with thanksgiving. That will please the Lord more than an ox, more than a bull with horns and hooves." (Psalm 69:30,31 CSB)
How do you worship God? David says with "praise" and "thanksgiving".
In Psalm 51, David again shows his understanding of worship. He says:
"Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare Your praise. You do not want a sacrifice, or I would give it; You are not pleased with a burnt offering. The sacrifice pleasing to God is a broken spirit. God, You will not despise a broken and humbled heart." (Psalm 51:15-17 CSB)
Again, how do you worship God? David says with a "broken spirit", meaning coming before God with a true sorrow for your sin.
In the book of Hosea, God gives us even more information of what He expects in worship. He says:
"For I desire loyalty and not sacrifice, the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings." (Hosea 6:6 CSB)
How do you worship God? God Himself says He desire "loyalty" from us and "the knowledge of God".
We need to look at one more verse, again from David, in which he says:
"May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to You..." (Psalm 19:14 CSB)
In this verse, it is clear that it is possible for our "words" and our "heart" not to be acceptable to God in worship.
Here are some conclusions that I think we can learn from these passages:
1) If you continue to live in unrepentant sin and still worship God, it seems from the example of Israel, God hates your worship.
2) If you are trying to come before God in worship with the right words and the right heart, you should consider these Bible based suggestions:
- Wash yourself, clean yourself...meaning put a stop to a sinful lifestyle
- Develop a attitude of praise and thanksgiving toward God
- God loves a "broken" spirit, meaning true sorrow for sin
- God desire your loyalty and a knowledge of Himself
One important last point to make. You cannot do these things unless they are done in the power of the Holy Spirit. Going before God daily and confessing our dependence on Him, and asking Him for power to do what He requires is absolutely necessary. This kind of prayer pleases God and He is happy to answer that kind of prayer.
