If we went out on the street and asked people to define worship, what would they say? I believe it would be different from person to person. Their personality, their background, their station in life, their family upbringing, and their experience with church would all be a factor. So, if we were to take a moment and try to boil down a definition of worship into one word, what might it be? Obedience! Samuel confronted Saul regarding his obedience to God. God told Saul to destroy everything, as he was to attack Amalek, but Saul, in his own wisdom, thought it would be good to bring these things back to sacrifice to God. That was a man’s view of worship and God felt totally different. Listen to what Samuel told Saul:
“Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, He also has rejected you from being king.” 1 Sam 15:22-23 (NKJV).
You see, it’s not about the way we sing, play an instrument if we do, how we stand, clap, and shout, it is how we walk in the secret places with God. That is true worship!