Worship. So often the word “worship” transports us to a Sunday Morning Worship Service where we lift our voices in praise to God as we bring honor to who He is and what He has done. With heartfelt offerings on a Sunday morning, for me time in the Word and prayer often becomes more of my focus the rest of the week than worship.

David was known as a worshipping man. Writing many songs of praise, he often met with God in heartfelt worship. However, in the recorded history of Israel in 1 Chronicles, we read of a time David learned worship must be more than heartfelt. It must take place with God’s acceptance.

In 1 Chronicles 11, David began his rule over Israel. Having a desire to make some wrongs right, David prepared to move of the Ark of the Covenant back to Jerusalem. Because of Israel’s sin, the Ark had fallen into the hands of the Philistines. When they could no longer manage the Ark, the Philistines had sent it back to Israel, where it remained in a city called Kiriath-Jearim.

Moving the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem was cause for great celebration. As they began the journey, David led Israel as they “were celebrating before God with all their might, with song and lyres and harps and tambourines and cymbals and trumpets.” (1 Chronicles 13:8)

As a symbol of God’s holy presence in meeting with His people, the Ark of the Covenant was a reminder that God is holy, set apart and separate from His creation. God had given strict instructions on how the Ark was to be transported. Poles fit into rings along the Ark’s sides. With the poles inserted through the rings, only the Levite priests were allowed to carry the Ark of the Covenant. When the Philistines returned the Ark to Israel, it was pulled by oxen on a cart. The Israelites followed this method of transporting the Ark from Kiriath-Jearim to Jerusalem. When one of the oxen stumbled, Uzzah steadied it with his hand and immediately was struck dead by God in His anger. In his zeal to worship God, David did not follow God’s instructions. As a result, a man lost his life, and the Ark of the Covenant remained in Obededom until David was ready to move the Ark to Jerusalem with proper obedience and worship.

While David offered heartfelt worship to God, he failed to give God the proper reverence when he disregarded acceptable handling of the Ark of the Covenant. Though heartfelt, David’s initial time of worship did not bring about change leading him to growth toward God.

So how is our worship not only heartfelt but also acceptable to God? Each moment of our day can be a song of worship as we see God in the details of our life and offer Him the glory for what He has done. We recognize His goodness and offer Him praise. True worship guides us to a greater desire and love for God, a change in our hearts, and a desire to follow Him in obedience through each moment of our life, not just during the Sunday Morning Worship service. Worshipping God is a lifestyle, not just a moment in time.

With heartfelt worship and complete obedience to God, the Ark of the Covenant was returned to Jerusalem. David wrote this song of praise and along with the people offered it to God with thanksgiving.

“Oh give thanks to the Lord; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the peoples! Sing to him, sing praises to him; tell of all his wondrous works! Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice! Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually!…Sing to the Lord, all the earth! Tell of his salvation from day to day. Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples! For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, and he is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols, but the Lord made the heavens. Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and joy are in his place…Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!” (1 Chronicles 16:8-11, 23-27, 34)

With proper reverence to God, David led the people in giving glory to God. Through their acts of heartfelt worship, Israel remembered God – who He is, what He had done, and what He would continue to do. Hearts were changed to follow and seek more of Him.

So where does your Sunday morning worship take you? What steps can you take to worship God in more moments of your week? Obedience to God flows from a heart of worship beginning Sunday morning with songs, prayer, and challenges from God’s Word. Take this worship into your week as you seek moments to praise God for His goodness, His mercy, His grace, His steadfast love, and His presence. Worship…not just for Sunday morning but as a lifestyle of praise to the One who is worthy.