Authenticity

I don’t want a fake Rolex watch. I don’t want a fake Rembrandt painting. I don’t want a fake autographed baseball. And I don’t want to be known as a “fake.”

Through the prophet Amos, God basically told Israel they were a bunch of fakes. Their offerings and songs were unacceptable to Him because they were not paired with righteous living, justice, and concern for the poor (Amos 5). Those actions are just as much a part of authentic worship to God as the songs and offerings.

Consider the words to a song by one of my favorite songwriters, Ross King:

Clear the stage and set the sound and lights ablaze if that’s the measure you must take to crush the idols.
Jerk the pews and all the decorations, too, until the congregation’s few, then have revival.
Tell your friends that this is where the party ends – until you’re broken for your sins you can’t be social.
Then seek the Lord and wait for what He has in store, and know that great is your reward, so just be hopeful.

And you can sing all you want to.
You can sing all you want to.
You can sing all you want to, but don’t get me wrong – worship is more than a song.

Take a break from all the plans that you have made and sit at home alone and wait for God to whisper.
Beg Him please to open up His mouth and speak and pray for real upon your knees until they blister.
Shine the light on every corner of your life until the pride and lust and lies are in the open.
Then read the word and put to test the things you’ve heard until your heart and soul are stirred and rocked and broken.

‘Cause you can sing all you want to.
Yes, you can sing all you want to.
You can sing all you want to, but don’t get me wrong – worship is more than a song.

Anything I put before my God is an idol.
Anything I want with all my heart is an idol.
Anything I can’t stop thinking of is an idol.
Anything that I give all my love is an idol.
We must not worship something that’s not even worth it.
Clear the stage.
Make some space for the One who deserves it.

I can sing all I want to.
I can sing all I want to.
I can sing all I want to and still get it wrong.
Worship is more than a song.

Clear the stage and set the sound and lights ablaze if that’s the measure you must take to crush the idols.

(Copyright 2002 Ross King)

Satan wants us to think we can live however we want to on Monday through Saturday and still be able to worship God on Sunday. God calls that “fake.” Authentic worship comes only from a transformed life, not by calling a time out once or twice a week.

That’s a high calling. But, it’s a pretty great honor to be considered “authentic” by God. And that’s my goal.

"Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshippers the Father seeks." John 4:23