Now, before I get started, I want to say a few things about...well...what I'm about to say. I will be speaking out from personal observation. These views and assumptions come from my inward, reflective look into my Mormon life and from observing other Mormons in many different arenas.
Ok... lets do this then.
When I was Mormon, I didn't worship God. In fact, I don't even think I knew how. True, I loved Him, or what I thought was Him, and very much so. But I didn't really worship Him. I sang songs to Him, but it was just reciting words on pitch. I prayed to Him, but it was just mumbling words in reverence. I went to church, but it was just a building I went to every Sunday morning. I saw pictures of Him (sorry 2nd Commandment sticklers) and I just thought, "Yeah, I know that guy."
Looking back, I don't really remember anyone truly worshiping God. Now, I know worship looks very different to a lot of people and because of that I know that I cannot say with 100% certainty. But, with that being said, I honestly think you can tell a difference, at least most of the time, between someone who knows of God and someone who worships God just by having a conversation with them, or by watching them at church or live life. Those who have been transformed and born again cannot help but cry out in worship in every facet of life. Not perfectly, mind you...but still.
Mormons are very, very, very, very nice people. They are kind, generous, loving people. They will serve you and help you any way they can. However, I have had many conversations with many different Mormons of all ages, races, and locations and observed some of them (and myself) during church services. I can honestly say that I have never seen a Mormon worship. Sure, they love Jesus. Sure they sing songs. Sure they try to live a servant's life. But, again from my perspective, the are simply going through the motions. This was true for me as well. I had convictions of why I believed what I believed and I could rationally argue with anyone why I was Mormon. But there was no fire for God. I wasn't in love with Him. I didn't have a relationship with Him. I didn't worship Him.
It wasn't until I was removed from the LDS doctrine and their call for rigorous obedience to their rules and ordinances that I truly began to worship Him. When I realized the magnitude of what Jesus did on the cross for me, my heart leapt out of my chest in worship. When I realized what He orchestrated in my life to grab a hold of me and save me from my sin, my soul cried out in praise. When I hear the name of Jesus, I want to cry and laugh and sing and be still and silent in adoration of my God. When I think about Him dying on the cross for the sins of the world and being raised again three days later so that I can never taste eternal death, I get goosebumps and chills! GOD IS AMAZING!!!!!
Do you wanna see true worship? Read Isaiah chapter 6.
"In the year that King Uzziah died, I (Isaiah) saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him (God) were seraphim, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. And they were calling to one another: "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory."" (v. 1-3)
Isaiah sees these angels flying above God. Their only job...their only job...their ONLY job is to fly and proclaim "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory." That's it. What's more amazing...is that they are completely satisfied with only doing that for eternity! AMAZING! Just being in the presence of God, all these magnificent creatures can do...all they want to do...all of their being literally cries out to do...is give glory to God! How great must our God be when the heavenly hosts while in His presence can only shout how good He is?!?
But wait...Isaiah isn't done...
""Woe to me!" I cried. "I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty." Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. With it he touched my mouth and said, "See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for." Then i heard the voice of the lord saying, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?" And I said, "Here I am. Send me!" (v. 5-8)
Isaiah is understandably freaking out. The ground is shaking, angels are chanting, God is literally right in front of him, and he's like, "I'm gonna die! This is it! This is how it ends for me!" But then the angel takes a searing, hot coal, touches his lips, and his sins are all forgiven. Now, remember, this is before the cross. This is before Jesus. This is before the greatest story every told even happened. So, Isaiah, is instantly forgiven and he is amazed. He is marveling at what he is experiencing, this interaction with the living God. So when God asks who will go for them, before anything else is said, Isaiah is like, "Yes Lord! I'm here! You are so good, sign me up! After what I've just seen, I will do whatever you ask!" I can almost hear him wanting to join the other angels in just simply worshiping God.
And in all honestly, Mormons don't talk like that. I've never seen a Mormon almost in tears of joy talking about their savior. I've never had a conversation with a Mormon when I've left thinking, "Whoa...that person really loves the Lord." I've never seen a Mormon sing "How Great Thou Art" with open arms and hands lifted in praise. I've never seen a Mormon sing any hymn with any type of conviction.
Now, maybe I just never saw it. Maybe there are tons of Mormons who can, have, and do praise and worship the true and living God (that is a possibility and I want to make it clear that it is a viable possibility). Or, maybe I never saw it because it never truly happens. Maybe I never saw it because it cannot happen so long as LDS doctrine remains as it is. Maybe I never saw it because Mormonism doesn't point to the true God. Maybe they don't preach the same Gospel that converted Saul, that the apostles died for, that Jesus hung on the cross for, that millions of people have been martyred over, and that the Bible proclaims. Maybe their prophets are false and have diluted and perverted the gospel so much so that people have nothing to worship. Maybe having to do a lot of works for salvation rather than just putting all their trust in Jesus has stripped their joy from them. Again, maybe it's just me.
When I was LDS, I never knew God so I could never worship Him. Of course, I knew the answers. "Jesus died for me." "God created the world." "I am a child of God." "He is risen." But I never had a reason, or saw the point, of putting an exclamation instead of a period on any of those statements. But when you know God, when you know you're saved, when you know how awesome, wonderful, powerful, mighty, strong, gracious, loving, kind, just, all knowing God is you cannot help but cry out in worship and praise!
I don't know who I'm writing to. I don't know where you are in life. But if you are feeling convicted, if you feel like, "You know what...I don't worship God" then maybe you need to have a conversation with Him. Pray, right now - seriously, right now. Stop reading this, close your eyes and pray to God. Pray that He would save you. Pray that He would awaken your dead heart and bring it to life in Jesus. Pray for forgiveness of your sins, for healing, and know...truly know...that God is alive!
Lastly, I'll leave you with this. I know that within the body of Christ people worship differently. I know that it looks differently to everyone. Some fall on their face, some sit quietly, some stand with arms raised, some just bow their head, some shout Hallelujah, some just lift their eyes, and it goes on and on. I'm not saying people should worship like I do, or like this one church denomination does. Not at all. Variety is in our DNA, it's how God made us. The importance isn't how you worship, but rather that you worship. Mormons have no fire in their eyes, no burning in their hearts, no fear and trembling for God, no surrender. I truly believe scripture is true:
"These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me."
Matthew 15:8
Let not your heart be far from God. Let your heart and mouth pour out praises to our Lord and King. If it's in song, sing your heart out. If it's in personal study, then fall in love with the Word, if it's just walking around, shout praises (or whisper them) to our Creator. Just worship.
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