May 21 | Worship With God at the Center

Today’s reading from 1 Chronicles 13–15 and John 7:1–27 invites us to reflect on the posture of worship and how easily our hearts can drift when God is no longer held at the center. Both passages remind us that formation happens over time as we learn to approach God with reverence, awareness, and trust.In 1 Chronicles, David and the people bring the Ark of the Covenant toward Jerusalem, and the joy of the moment is tied directly to what the Ark represented, the presence of God among His people. Their worship is filled with celebration, but it is also shaped by obedience, rhythm, and reverence as they learn again that God’s presence must be approached His way.In John 7, Jesus is surrounded by confusion, misunderstanding, and divided responses as people try to interpret who He is through their own assumptions. The passage highlights how easy it is to stand near holy things and still miss what God is revealing when our expectations shape what we are willing to see.Together, these passages invite us to consider the posture we bring before God. They ask us to notice whether worship has become centered on preference, familiarity, or personal experience, and to reflect on what it means to give God the full weight, honor, and attention He deserves.