Have you ever noticed that when you pop a bag of microwave popcorn, some of the kernels don’t pop? Even though the kernels receive the same heat in the same bag at the same time, sometimes they just don’t pop. It can be a struggle to find the right amount of time to get it all to pop.
As Christians, sometimes we are like this. When we don’t respond, we are like kernels that don’t pop. We read the same scriptures, but we don’t pop. We hear the same spiritual songs, but we don’t pop. We listen to the same sermons, but we don’t pop. We hear the same teaching on giving, the same call to serve but we don’t respond. Sometimes Christians just don’t pop.
In Romans 12:1 Paul writes, “I appeal to you brothers and sisters in view of God’s mercy to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.” I wonder if we don’t “pop” because of a misconception regarding worship. Worship is not simply an event we go to. Worship is a lifestyle. It is a life lived in obedience to God. It is the only proper response to God’s mercy.
Until we get a handle on how incredible God’s mercy is, we’ll struggle to be the worshippers we are called to be. Paul says we are to live our lives as a worship service to God. Worship doesn’t begin when the first song is sung or end when we leave the building. Friends, worship never ends! Maybe we all need to adjust our worship times. The good news is, we don’t have to wait until Sunday. We can begin right now. It’s time for all of us to pop! It’s time for all of us to worship.