Why do you pray to God? Why do you praise Him?
Some say we should pray to God to get what we want…because God is bent on making our lives happy and comfortable. Victoria Osteen, with her husband Joel smiling approvingly at her side, said to her congregation (I quote):
“I just want to encourage every one of us to realize when we obey God, we’re not doing it for God – we’re doing it for ourselves, because God takes pleasure when we’re happy. That’s the thing that gives Him the greatest joy. When you come to church, when you worship Him, you’re not doing it for God really. You’re doing it for yourself, because that’s what makes God happy. Amen?”
Really? Look, we all get it wrong sometimes. That is precisely why we need to hold everything up to the light of the full gospel to examine its truth… including Victoria’s and Joel’s messages and also this blog.
The bible is very clear in demonstrating that God wants the best for us. He has two plans for us, to save us and to provide for us according to His love. His love is so great that He sent His only Son to rescue us… while we were still sinners!
Yes, He wants you to experience great joy, especially the joy set before Jesus as he approached the cross. What joy is that? It is the joy of being united with our heavenly Father, right now and for all eternity. I doubt our sense of ‘happiness’ is the same as the joy Jesus considered on the way to the cross. But God doesn’t worship our happiness. Making sure we are tickled with life is not the object of His message. And it shouldn’t be the object of our worship.
GOD, the one and only, the now and always, the Almighty God, prince of peace, author of creation, our rock, our refuge, our strong tower, the one who saves, He who provides, the only one who really knows our heart and understands us…this Holy and perfect, powerful, just, faithful, and – thank you, Lord – ever so merciful God is the object of our worship. Our real happiness comes from our worship of such a great loving God. We don’t do it for ourselves, although we certainly benefit from it. Truthfully, we could be standing at the precipice of life, with one breath left and no chance of being saved, and still God would be worthy of our praise and worship!
Our joy doesn’t have to be at odds with God’s glory. We don’t have to give up joy to honor God. But let’s not make the mistake of making our happiness the object of our worship. The heart that is able to worship and praise their loving God regardless of their circumstances is the heart that finds abundant joy. Isn’t that what you want?
Be vigilant. Be wise as serpents, gentle as doves. Matthew 10:16.
