When we think of worship, we think of a lot of different things.  We can picture the space we worship in.  Some have pews, some chairs and many churches I’ve been to around the world, it’s knees on a hard slate or dirt floor.

We think of our favorite elements of worship – singing (in whatever style you like), recited and/or spontaneous prayers, announcements, welcomes, the sermon, creative arts, etc.

But there is one element that is not so popular today.  And in my reading this morning, it hit me — we can’t have worship without it.  Well we can, but God won’t accept it!

Now there’s a question for us.  Is our worship experience for us, or for God?  If it’s for us, we can do whatever we want as long as it makes us feel better.  But if it’s for God, we had better make it acceptable to him.

What is it?  What is the one essential element of Worship?  Read this verse: “I cannot endure iniquity and solemn assembly (Isa. 1:13).”  God can’t endure our worship if we are in sin.  Our sin cancels out our worship. God can’t endure it.  Picture this… if we are in sin and begin to worship, God walks out.

This truth makes confession the one element we can’t worship without.  Unless you are someone who has lived “clean” since the last time you worshipped, confession is essential.  The next time you worship, even in this season of happy, kid-filled, family-oriented worship; make sure to honestly confess with a heart of repentance.  If we don’t, we had better understand God’s not there.  He can’t endure it.

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