Walking in perfume shop: When a believer walks in time of worship and feels the soaking presence of God it is like walking in a air-conditioned perfume shop. The fragrance is delightful and a desire to remain there is very strong, we feel fresh. As soon we come out of the shop and continue with the things of life, the fragrance is vanishing and the further we go facing different realities the experience of the shop becomes part of our history starts with “once upon a time”.

Worship is not like walking in the perfume shop and enjoying the fragrance and when we face different circumstances we forget that experience. Worship should be walking in the perfume shop enjoying the fragrance but when we go out we should be carrying that fragrance on us, not just for ourselves but also for others who come in contact with us.

As it is gratifying experience, it should not just be that but must initiate transformation in us, because we were in the presence of God. This process requires response, conscious hard work, repentance and willingness to change. This is what it means carrying the fragrance with us, the fragrance of Christ, to be like him. This is not easy and therefore many do not want to make an effort and the enemy of our souls takes an advantage, he is happy as long as the process of transformation does not start in us and becomes a movement to transformation of the society.

The strong and soaking presence of God should transform us, transform our mindset. It should show us who we are in the light of our Creator and lead us in the process of “becoming like HIM”. Worshiping HOLY GOD should lead us to apply holiness on ourselves meaning a person of integrity. Worshiping merciful God should lead us to extend forgiveness to others; worshiping patient God should lead us to extend kindness to others and worshiping the Creator God should lead us to faith.

The place matters: What I mean here is not the physical location or building or where the worshiper is standing, sitting or kneeling during the worship. What is ones attitude about where he/she is positioned? Through Jesus Christ we have this privilege to worship God coming into the holy of holies. We can worship God with the attitude of being in outer court without standing before God. This gives us a sense of fulfilling the religious duty but we come out untouched by the nature and character of God. The high priest would only go in the holy of holies once in a year, and he must be preparing himself for this special day. How do we do before coming to worship God? Do we prepare ourselves with this attitude?

Is our worship based on our emotional status or based on who God is? This will also reflect in our physical act of worship. It’s about God; it’s about who HE is.

“Worship is about the submission of all of our nature to God. To worship is to quicken the conscience by the holiness of God, to feed the mind with the truth of God, to purge the imagination by the beauty of God, to open the heart to the love of God, to devote the will to the purpose of God.”  Archbishop William Temple.

When we worship HIM with the attitude of being in the Holy of Holies it will bring us to this place of submission of all of our nature to God, we will experience personal transformation. Just like Moses being in the presence of God does not only changed his outward appearance but gradually transformed him a person with greater impact. Worship should bring personal transformation for good; we will be transformed as a person for good. This must happen when we come to worship living God. If we come to worship as anxious and worried person and go back same then something is not right with our understanding of Who God is. What do people feel when we are around them in the normal situations of life, such as at work or shopping for grocery. Do people notice that there is something “different” about us, when we are around? The beauty of our God is his holiness, grace and truth. Does our life exhibit that truth and grace in increasing manner?  “Worship is a posture of life that takes as its primary purpose the understanding of what it really means to love and revere God. Ravi Zacharias

Finally, I don’t mean to be critical but most of our worship setups are, the worship leader or a team standing in front facing the crowd or the church. This gives the image of performance. Worship isn’t a performance but focusing on God and leading the people in the holy of holies. So why can’t all of face the same direction? including the worship team.

Conclusion: Worship itself is a gratifying experience, but what do we do with is? I believe it should lead us to see ourselves in the light of Jesus Christ and we should take steps to be like HIM. This is the fragrance of Christ the world is looking for.