Cheap worship isn't...

I came across a story in Luke 7 about a woman with a questionable past who discovered Jesus was at Simeon's home. She brought an exquisite alabaster flask and entered the house, kneeling at Jesus' feet. Overwhelmed with emotion, she cried, her tears falling onto His feet. She wiped them dry with her hair, repeatedly kissing His feet. Then, it says: “as an act of worship, she opened the flask and anointed His feet with the costly perfume.”

Perhaps it's just this specific translation, but it seems worship really began when she poured out the costly perfume. The connection between worship and cost intrigues me. It's simple to perform the duties of worship, engage in acts of devotion, and participate in external or internal expressions of worship. But as David said, "I will not give to the Lord that which cost me nothing." I wonder if we've cheapened it in our current definition of worship.

Don't get me wrong; I love being immersed in worship. But without considering the cost aspect, is it truly worship? The Bible repeatedly links worship and cost. What makes something worshipful is that it costs us something—the spotless lamb, the pure dove, the blemish-free cow….

For example, when Jesus spoke of a woman who gave two small coins at the temple, He deemed her gift greater than those who gave more because of what it really cost her.

In fact, to even follow Jesus, we must die to ourselves and take up our cross; there's a cost involved.

It's not about paying a price to worship or needing to offer something to enter His presence. NO!!! He's our Father, first and foremost. It's more about giving ourselves entirely and bringing something valuable to the table.

As parents, when we receive a gift from our child, there's a difference between one bought with money provided by someone else versus one they've worked for or made themselves. The latter holds more value because it involves personal sacrifice or effort.

So maybe we should ask ourselves: what does our worship cost us? Are we truly giving of ourselves in our devotion to God?

It's one thing when a kid takes some cash and buys me a pair of socks with it. But it's entirely different when they grab their crayons and paper—you know what I mean—and create something that costs them. It costs them time, effort, and perhaps even their favorite candy they decided to share. The fact that it has a price tag makes the gift so much sweeter.

So, I need to remind myself that when I worship or lead worship, the depth of that worship is determined by its cost to me. That cost could be anything: my time, focus, laying down my life, dying to self, or choosing righteousness when everything inside me craves unrighteousness.

Worship without cost is just an act, an empty outward display. It's like a child giving an empty birthday card to a parent because “that's what we do” on special days. But imagine receiving a handmade card with a heartfelt note and their favorite candy attached – everything saying, "Daddy, I love you. I love you more than myself. And I give you something that costs me." And it doesn't even feel like a cost because your love for me is so much greater than any offering I could give

Worship has a cost. The dearer the cost, the deeper the worship… worship is cheap when it doesn’t cost us anything. It’s never been about ‘worship’ - ’s always been about the heart that expresses itself in relationship. That expression is what He calls worship.

Don't ever let it become anything cheap.

Love you all - thank you for your continued support - My heart is to serve you by encouraging and equipping your heart of worship.