Worship: The Key to Drawing Near to God...Continued from page 1

Second, worship brings an inward look.

"Woe to me!" I cried. "I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the LORD Almighty." Then one of the seraphs flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. With it he touched my mouth and said, "See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for" (v. 5–7).  

When you see God for who He really is, as Isaiah did, you start to see yourself for who you really are. You start seeing things in your heart and in your life that really didn't bother you before. But notice that after Isaiah saw and confessed his sinfulness, he also experienced the mercy, grace, and forgiveness of God. That's what happens when you really worship.

But worship doesn't end there. Notice that Isaiah's inward look is followed by an outward look.

Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?" And I said, "Here am I. Send me!" (v. 8)  

Genuine worship always leads to an outward look?a personal response or action?a desire to be obedient to whatever God calls you to do.

Genuine worship isn't just singing songs and getting a good feeling in your heart. Genuine worship is seeing God for who He really is?His power, His greatness, His holiness, His sovereignty, His love, and His compassion?and then giving Him what He’s worth?the best of your time, your talents, your thoughts, your words, and your deeds.

True worship is seeing afresh the tremendous worth of God and, in response, giving Him the best of everything you have.

Chip Ingram is President of Walk Thru the Bible in Atlanta, GA, and Teaching Pastor of Living on the Edge, a national radio ministry.
Walk Thru the Bible partners with the local church worldwide to teach God’s Word in relevant ways for lasting life change. To fulfill this mission, Walk Thru the Bible creates and distributes high quality, award-winning resources in a variety of formats, helping individuals “walk thru” the Bible with greater clarity and understanding. Walk Thru the Bible seminars are taught in over 45 languages by more than 50,000 men and women in over 90 countries; Living on the Edge radio ministry broadcasts on more than 800 radio outlets reaching nearly one million listeners a week; and more than 100 million devotionals have been packaged into daily magazines, books and other publications that reach over five million people each year. Walk Thru the Bible was founded in 1976 and is based in Atlanta, GA.