How to Worship God in Vain

Here’s one of the most important, life-altering, soul-satisfying truths I have ever discovered: Our Father’s name is most hallowed in us when we are most happy in him — especially during cancer, or the loss of a husband, or the flooding of our house. Our Father is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him. When God adopts us into his family, and he makes the ultimate goal that he would be made much of forever — that his greatness, his beauty, his worth would be treasured above all thing — when he does that, he’s not a deranged egomaniac. He’s a loving Father because he is setting at the center of the family, the one Reality in all the universe that will satisfy ourselves forever: himself. And he is summoning us not just to regard him as supremely valuable, but to enjoy him as supremely valuable forever. Our Father in heaven seeks the hallowing of his name because that hallowing happens through our being happy in him.

Anyone can walk into a sanctuary and raise their hands. Anyone can sing lyrics on a screen. But not everyone is truly worshiping God.