So many times we come to church expecting a dynamic worship experience, an encounter with God. We go through the three fast, two slow songs, led by some really hip musicians and singers (preferably younger people). Most likely a charismatic personality leads the group. Everything is planned out to have an "experience" better than the time before. And while I love a good song service, and believe that many are worshiping, at times I may question if these displays of tremendous emotion that occur in those services are more about what we get than about worshiping God. If we are to worship in spirit and truth, then shouldn't we know the truth? Shouldn't we recognize the holiness and worth of God? Shouldn't we know what Jesus did for us? I'm not saying that an immature believer can't worship God. They can. But shouldn't believers be ever learning about this God we serve? And shouldn't our revelation of who He is and what He's done then ignite a deeper passion to worship. I remember a service once where the speaker talked about the depth of God's love for us. He spoke about His sending Jesus to die on a cross for us. But it didn't stop there. Nope. He went on to tell about the agony of the cross. The physical aspects of it were told in great detail. It was almost like I could see it. As he spoke, I wept. All my life I knew that Jesus died for my sins, but I had never fully realized the depth of the sacrifice He made. Talk about a defining moment. This knowledge of what Jesus went through made me want to worship Him even more. In times past I may have thought, like so many others, that singing a song equated to worship. But at that moment, I needed no song. I was overwhelmed with an emotion that was a direct result of the truth of God's word coming to light. It was like scales that had blinded me were removed from my eyes. I think there is no greater feeling we can experience than the one we get when we have a revelation like that. It's hard to even explain. Humility is a word that comes to mind. Now you may be wondering how humility can be intertwined with worship. Let me assure you, it is. So many of the words used to describe worship reflect that. I was thinking about that passage in Isaiah 6:1-8:

6 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple. 2 Above him were seraphim, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. 3 And they were calling to one another:

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty;
    the whole earth is full of his glory.”

4 At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke.

5 “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.”

6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. 7 With it he touched my mouth and said, “See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for.”

8 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!”

Isaiah saw the King, the Lord Almighty, and he was ruined. Isn't that how we should be? He recognized the holiness of God and his own unholiness. He was totally humbled. Who could possibly live up to that holiness? In ourselves, we could never attain that kind of holiness. We are flawed, sinful people. So where is our hope? Our hope is found in the precious blood of Jesus, the atonement for our sins. And when we see that it will humble us as well. And notice that Isaiah was spurred into action. And we will be too. We will be willing to do whatever God would have us do. Even go to Africa if that was what He wanted (I had to throw that in). And sometimes doing what God wants will take us far from our comfort zone. But let's get back to humility for a moment. There's a definition that says something about taking the position of a lower rank. For example, a general is a higher rank than a private. With God, He is the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords. There is none above Him. And it is essential to realize this when we attempt to come into His presence and worship. So yes, humility is required when we worship God.