A Child’s Sincere Worship Heard in a Man’s Dream
A man was carried in a dream to a church. In his vision he saw the organist vigorously playing the organ, but no sound was heard. The choir and congregation began to sing, but their voices were not heard. Then the minister began, energetically, to pray, but no tones came from his lips.
The man turned in wonder to his angel guide. "You hear nothing," said the angel, "because there is nothing to hear. These people are not engaged in worship, but only in the form of worship. Their hearts are not touched, and this silence is the silence that is yet unbroken in the presence of God. But listen now."
And, listening, the man heard a child’s voice, clear and distinct in all that silence, while the minister seemed to pray, and the people seemed to join. Only the child’s voice was heard, because only the child’s heart was touched. "That," said the guide, "is the only true worship in all this great church today: all the others are concerned with but the appearance of worship." Our worship of the Father must be sincere and not for show.
From a sermon by Mark Schaeufele, New Life On Purpose: Worship, 1/22/2010