As a worship leader, I’ve heard many people over the years tell me that worship just isn’t their thing. It’s frustrating to look out over a congregation and see people on their phones, with coffee cups in their hands, or whispering to their neighbours—that’s if they’re in the worship service at all! But here’s the thing: God hasn’t called us to do only those things that we enjoy. He hasn’t called us to do only the things that we are comfortable doing. He’s called us to do quite the opposite.

Any man or woman on this earth who is bored and turned off by worship is not ready for heaven.

~ A.W. Tozer

I often wonder what people believe Heaven will be like. There are many who are likely under the grave misconception that it will be an eternity of frivolous, self-indulgent pursuits. So what then, would it mean to join with the angels to sing holy, holy, holy is the Lord? Does Heaven have a service schedule? Is there a small segment of each day that is set aside for praise and worship? No. There is no service schedule. Because the service never stops. Heaven is one big, long praise and worship service. Heaven is not for our pleasure. It is for God’s.

So how do we prepare for Heaven? We praise.

Let every created thing give praise to the Lord,
for he issued his command and they came into being.
He established them forever and forever.
His orders will never be revoked.

Psalm 148:5-6 (NLT)

Let everything that lives sing praises to the Lord!

Praise the Lord!

Psalm 150:6 (NLT)

We are all a part of everything that lives. The longest book in the Bible is a book full of songs. The last words in that book are Praise the Lord! Do you think, perhaps, that this could and should be an important part of our lives?

While our mortal selves may not enjoy the act of praise and worship, our spirit longs for it.

Your heart’s desire, even if you haven’t realized it, is to live every moment in the wonder of worship.

David Jeremiah

Praise is not something to do when we feel like it. It is something we do so long as we are breathing. If your spirit needs to remind your body, so be it. But don’t fool yourself into believing that praise isn’t your thing. It is your thing. It’s your only thing. It’s the one thing you were created to do.

Praise the Lord, I tell myself;
with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name.
Praise the Lord, I tell myself,
and never forget the good things he does for me.

Psalm 103:1-2 (NLT)

Daily Bible reading: Psalm 148-150, 1 Corinthians 11:16-34