It has been a challenging week. Family struggles and vocational frustrations have taken their toll. Even with some kick-back time on Saturday, when Saturday evening rolls around you realize that your attitude is still not right. You think about going to church tomorrow morning and conclude that with the state of your attitude, attempting to engage in adoration and worship would be hypocritical. What do you do? Do you go the church and go through the motions? Do you stay home?
What is the connection between adoration and attitude? The Bible has some answers for us. As in a number of issues we face as followers of Christ, we begin with a vitally important foundational consideration. It is the battle between being God-centered and me-centered. Is my focus on God or me?
- Adoration is God-centered and Christ-focused.
- Attitude, robbed of its spiritual oversight, is me-centered and circumstance-focused.
We use the word adoration as an umbrella term that covers worship, praise and celebration. The Bible presents this activity as a vital staple in our spiritual habits. The more we engage in adoration, the more we focus on our Lord. The more we focus on our Lord, the less we focus on ourselves and our circumstances.
- "Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness.” (Psalm 95:2)
When this takes place, the exhortation of Philippians 2 begins to take root in our spiritual lives.
- “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus…” (Philippians 2:5).
Jesus, in His incarnation, displayed an attitude that was patently God-centered.
Adoration is a major weapon in combating the attitude struggles we face. Adoration provides the spiritual oversight for the Lord to keep our attitude Christ-centered. To cease adoration until our attitude is corrected is to play into the strategy of our arch-enemy. Anything he can do to get us to stay home from church and to cease in our daily personal adoration of the Lord will bring a sadistic smile to his face.
Invest time into your daily personal worship and adoration. Go to church. Be an active participant in the worship service. Be a follower of Christ who experiences an attitude that is saturated with adoration of Christ.
