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79_The heart of worship

Ex 20:22-26 And the Lord said to Moses, “Thus you shall say to the people of Israel: ‘You have seen for yourselves that I have talked with you from heaven. 23 You shall not make gods of silver to be with me, nor shall you make for yourselves gods of gold. 24 An altar of earth you shall make for me and sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and your peace offerings, your sheep and your oxen. In every place where I cause my name to be remembered I will come to you and bless you. 25 If you make me an altar of stone, you shall not build it of hewn stones, for if you wield your tool on it you profane it. 26 And you shall not go up by steps to my altar, that your nakedness be not exposed on it.’

In a small village church, the offering platter was being passed around. As it neared the row where a young girl sat, she longed desperately to give to the Lord. But she had not a single coin in her pocket. Suddenly her face brightened. She placed the platter on the floor as it came to her, and stood on it. In her eyes, she was offering herself to God. The congregation looked on in awe at the simple yet powerful expression of true worship.

In Exodus 20:22–26, God instructed Moses about the altar immediately after giving him the Ten Commandments. At first glance, this sequence may seem unusual. The commandments reveal the holiness of God and are a representation of His glorious character. Why then does God shift focus to something earthy and tangible—the altar?

God knows that humans often struggle to relate to abstractions. Therefore, he commanded his people to build him an altar, a physical means to express spiritual worship. Yet, in doing so, God warned Israel not to imagine His form in any material or finite terms. Even the most precious elements on earth, like gold and silver, are unworthy of representing His majesty. To equate God with anything earthly is to insult His greatness.

Yet God directs his worshipers to the altar—a simple, unadorned place of sacrifice. The altar had no splendid outward appearance or intricate human craftsmanship. In fact, God forbade the use of shaped stones in the altar, emphasizing that worship is not about human effort or embellishment.

Why then the emphasis on the altar? The answer lies in what the altar represents. Offerings and sacrifices are the heart of worship, where God comes to man and blesses him. True worship comes from the spirit, and is marked by heartfelt faith, love, and obedience. It is not about how much we give, or how great the gift appears. Worship pleases God when it comes from a heart of humble faith.

Noah built the first recorded altar after the flood, to thank God and acknowledge his deliverance through the devastating flood that destroyed the old world. (Genesis 8:20). Abram, Isaac, Jacob, David, and many others built altars to commemorate sacrifices of thanksgiving, to call upon the Lord, or to enquire of him.

God’s instruction to Moses to build an altar of earth reflects His desire for man, who was formed from the dust. The earthen altar reminds us to worship in humility and simplicity, remembering our frailty and utter dependence on God. An altar of stone could not use dressed or carved stone, to avoid any place for human pride and skill in the worship of God. The Lord rebuked the Pharisees, asking, “Which is greater: the gift, or the altar that makes it sacred?” (Matthew 23:19). The value of the altar lay in the means it provided to serve God with a heart of faith.

We are the temple of the living God. Our lives are our sacrifice to God, offered in faith and obedience. It is not our abilities, achievements, or outward acts of worship that matter most, but the humble sincerity of our hearts. The poor widow who gave two small coins into the temple treasury was declared to be the greatest giver of all. For her sacrifice came from a heart of love, faith, and reverence.

A broken and contrite heart is the true sacrifice of a sinner. David understood this when he wrote, “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.” (Psalm 51:17). The repentant heart finds its sins are forgiven for the sake of Jesus’ name, who offered himself a sacrifice and sweet-smelling offering for us in love.

Similarly, Elijah’s altar of raw stone on Mount Carmel mutely witnessed the power of heartfelt worship. Elijah’s prayer of simplicity called on God to defend his own name. When he offered his sacrifice at evening, God sent fire from heaven to consume it. This event called Israel back to God, reminding them of their covenant relationship with Him.

The Samaritan woman at the well wondered aloud about the right place to worship God. The Lord’s response cut through all externalities: “God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” (John 4:24). Worship is not confined to a sacred location or ritual, for God sees the heart. The altar of offering can be anywhere—a humble corner in your home, a walk in the park, or quiet moments of prayer and reflection in your heart.

What, then, is the heart of worship? It is single-minded loyalty to God, resulting in the unwavering obedience of faith. As worshippers we offer up our lives, in all their aspects. Our time, talents, resources, and relationships become part of our living sacrifice (Romans 12:1) as they are used as he directs. Worship is not about what we give but how and why we give. If our offerings do not flow from a heart of love and reverence, they are meaningless.

The Lord emphasized another aspect of this truth, saying, “If you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.” (Matthew 5:23–24). True worship comes from experiencing God’s greatness, love and forgiveness. Such a heart will be at peace with God, and pursue peace with others. Without this, our acts of worship become hollow.

The little girl in the village church gave all she could. This is God’s desire for each of us. He does not need our wealth or talents; He wants to live in us and with us, so that we may be one with him.

Let us not offer mere outward acts of worship, but a sincere expression of our love, faith, and obedience. Let us take time to give all we are to our God. In practical terms, this might mean the effort to set things right with someone we have wronged. It may mean giving time to hearing from God in his word and in prayer. It may mean devoting time to using our gifts for his kingdom and glory. Yet true worship is not about the altar or the gift. It is not about what we do, but why and to whom it is offered. When we act with the single motive of pleasing God, we offer worship that pleases him.

Let us come before God as we are—humble, broken, and grateful—and offer ourselves as living sacrifices. When we do, we will experience the joy of true worship, and it will rise as a sweet-smelling aroma to the Lord. God bless.