A Heart Form

By Greg Laurie, Op-ed contributor Monday, January 04, 2010

"For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them." - Matthew 18:20

There is something special that happens when God's people come together for worship. Jesus said, "For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them" (Matthew 18:20).

One of the ways we express our worship is through our singing. You may not like to sing, but worship is not an art form; it is a heart form. When we sing, God is looking at our hearts. We may have professionals who lead us in worship, but I think God cares about our hearts more than anything else. Worship is a form of prayer, so we want to reverently come before God and honor Him. And He will bless it when we remember Him in this way.

Worship also can be a witness. I think it is a powerful testimony when a believer can worship in the midst of pain, like Paul and Silas, who sang praises to God in prison after their backs had been ripped open from being beaten. Or Job, who worshiped and said, "Blessed be the name of the Lord" after he lost his children, his possessions, and his health. It is a witness, because the world watches and says, "How can they worship at a time like that?"

The Bible talks about offering a sacrifice of praise to God. Quite frankly, there are times when I don't feel like praising God. But I don't praise God because I feel like it. The Bible says, "Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever" (Psalm 107:1). So at times when you are not feeling like it, if you will give praise and worship to God, even the sacrifice of praise, it can be a powerful testimony to a lost and watching world.