True Worship

I recently heard a great message on worship at our church that caused me to further analyze my life:

"Praise and Worship"

What is the meaning of worship and what are churches really supposed to look like? And I don't mean the order of the service or what type of music played, but what should the lives of the people look like? Furthermore, when those who don't associate themselves with the church, look at the church, what do they think its all about?

James 1:27 says,

Religion (or worship) that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

It seems that God's desire is for the church to be pure and faultless by offering love and kindness, by helping to relieve the pains of those in need and live above it all. There's a great song by Building 429 that says, "Lift me up above it all, I'm feeling broken and alone. Don't let me turn to stone, lift me up above it all. Because I've lost my hope tonight and I'm praying for the strength to carry on. Lord would you lift me above it all?"

Life is difficult, but we can live above the problems of today. Living above it all, or not being polluted by the world does not mean not associating with those who are different. But I think it means to live for a purpose, a righteous and good purpose, living so that life's insignificant, or sometimes significant problems don't overwhelm our lives.

Does the church reflect this type of worship? Are we living in reverence to a loving God?

I know that God's greatest desire is for me to love him and to love others. My worship should look so much more like what is described in James 1:27. You see, my true worship and reverence towards God is shown in the way in which I live my life.

True Religion is to look after orphans and widows and live above it all.