The Cain Obstruction.
Screwing Up Worship. Part 1 of 4.

Is it possible to screw up our worship? Can we do it wrong? Umm… yea. I think we can. I know we can. Here are four things that defile our worship to God (you’re getting them one post at a time).

The Cain Obstruction

In Genesis 4 we can read the story of Cain and Abel. Both Cain and Abel brought an offering to God. Abel brought the best of the best of what he had. Cain brought “some;” the leftovers. God wanted the best of the best; so God was not pleased with Cain’s offering.

When we worship, we’re offering what we have to God. The Cain Obstruction is an example of screwing up worship. It’s when you give God what you want to give Him without consideration to what He wants.

God wants the best of our best as worship to Him. He wants our best life as worship to Him. God wants a sacrifice of praise as worship to Him. Yes – that’s right – a sacrifice. That means you suffer something.

“Oh, Adam,” I hear you say, “God doesn’t want me to suffer and sacrifice something. God’s a nice guy.”

lol.

The Old Testament’s model of worship was through sacrifices. The New Testament’s model of worship is through . . . you guessed it, a sacrifice. It’s worshiping when we don’t feel like it. It’s continually choosing God’s will every day even when its not the easy way. It’s a sacrifice.

True worship is concerned about giving God what He wants. Screwed-up worship is more concerned about what we want to give God than what God wants us to give Him. That screwed up worship is what we’re gonna call, “The Cain Obstruction.” You may be worshiping, but if you’re worshiping in a selfish manner (and only you can know if you’re giving God what he wants or not), your worship is defiled; your worship is screwed up.

*This example of screwed up worship is not my original idea. The model is from a lecture I heard from Jack Hayford; the ideas and applications are my own.*