The Heart of Worship

In Genesis 22:5 Abraham said to his servants, “Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then will come back to you.” The first time worship is mentioned in the Bible is right before Abraham is about to sacrifice his son Isaac to the Lord. God said to Abraham in Genesis 22:2, “Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you.”

Abraham went to the place God told him, built an altar, arranged the wood on it, and then bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. As he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son, the angel of the Lord called out to him. In Genesis 22:12 the angel of the Lord told Abraham, “Do not lay a hand on the boy.” “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.”

Abraham earned a special place in history among God’s people because he was willing to give the Lord his best offering. How was Abraham able to offer his son, who he didn’t receive until he was an old man, as an offering to the Lord? Abraham was able to give his best offering because he had a heart of worship. The true heart of worship is giving God your best.

Throughout history, one of the main indicators of a people doomed for destruction is when they stopped giving God their best offering. We see this trait from the very beginning of man’s existence. Genesis 4:3-5 says, In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord. But Abel brought fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering, (5) but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast."

The fat portions represented the best part of the animal, and the firstborn represented the best of the flock. Notice the difference between the brother’s sacrifice. Cain gave “some” of his fruits and Abel gave the best of his flock. The Lord was only pleased with one of the offerings.

Notice also how Cain responded to the Lord’s rejection of his offering. He was angry, and his face was downcast. Receiving God’s favor and pleasing him is the key to our joy and inner peace. Hebrews 12:2 says, “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Jesus gave his best, his own life as an offering, and was full of joy even though he was destined for the cross.

In the 21st century, your time and money represent what kind of offering you give to God? Time and money, more than anything else, reflect your heart. Are you giving him “some” or your best? If you are living according to God’s will and giving him your best, then you are a true worshiper of God.

I will leave you with Hebrews 10:5-7 on what kind of offering God desires today.

(5) Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said: “Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me; (6) with burnt offering and sin offerings you were not pleased. (7) Then I said, ‘Here I am—it is written about me in the scroll—I have come to do your will, O God.’”

May God's joy mark your journey as you worship, obey his will, and give him your best.