“Where does your devotion and allegiance lie? Is it with your pursuit of happiness, or with the God who rescues and provides?" Kathy Spampinato

To worship means to give reverent honor to God whether in a formal service or with a private and personal offering of praise. It is more than just the singing of songs. Worship can also mean to feel an adoring reverence for a person or thing, as when people say, "I just adore her new dress" or "Isn't that baby just adorable?" However, adoration and worship should be reserved for God. Do you agree? If someone truly worships an object or another person, it is idolatry: the worship of idols. It indicates an excessive focus or an obsession. The Bible tells us that God is a jealous God. He does not want us to focus on success, fame, or fortune, turning them into an idol and ignoring the worship of the God who made us and gives us life.

Psalm 135:15 -17 ESV "The idols of the nations are silver and gold, the work of human hands. They have mouths, but do not speak; they have eyes, but do not see; they have ears, but do not hear, nor is there breath in their mouths."

Jonah 2:7 -9 tells us, "When my life was fainting away, I remembered the Lord, and my prayer came to you, into your temple. Those who pay regard to vain idols forsake their hope of steadfast love. But I with the voice of thanksgiving will sacrifice to you; what I vowed I will pay. Salvation belongs to the Lord!"

Where does your devotion and allegiance lie? Is it with your pursuit of happiness, or with the God who rescues and provides? He is the hope of steadfast love, and of security. As we examine our hearts and lives let's take a look at where we put our time and devotion. Have we misplaced our worship? Perhaps we need to refocus on the God of our salvation. Let's look at His Word to remind us of where our heart and our devotion should rest.

Isaiah 25:1 " O Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you; I will praise your name, for you have done wonderful things, plans formed of old, faithful and sure."

John 4:23 "But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him."

Hebrews 12:28 "Therefore, let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe,"

Psalm 95: 6 -8a "Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker! For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts,"

Is the still, small voice of God calling you today? Is He drawing you back to a true devotion? Still your busy mind and pour out your heart in prayer today. God is listening. He is here for you now.