The small living room is glowing with the scent of candles. The handful of people are not focused on one another, some look at the floor, some at the ceiling, some have their eyes tightly closed. One person quietly strums a guitar while most others sing along. The air is heavy with heart felt praise. This small gathering is an intimate moment in worship.

The huge arena shakes with the power of the sound system. Tens of thousands of people stand and raise their arms toward heaven. It is so loud you cannot hear your own voice. The air is hazy from the light show and fog machine but it adds to the ethereal experience of so many believers in one place, with one voice praising God!

I have worshipped in a living room, I have worshipped in an arena and everywhere in-between. Ultimately it doesn’t matter where you worship. It matters who you worship. And it matters when you worship. Worship is not a once a week thing. It is not only an hour on Sunday. Worship is a lifestyle. It is a habit. It is a spiritual discipline we must practice constantly. Real, true worshippers do not just experience great music or emotional events, they experience the Presence of God!

This week, spend time in the days before your worship services pursuing the Presence of God. It doesn’t matter if your service is 5 or 5,000. All worship matters to God.

Here are some verses to consider about the Presence of God:

‘My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.’ – Exodus 33:14

‘You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.’  – Jeremiah 29:13

‘The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save, He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you by his love, He will rejoice over you with loud singing.’  – Zephaniah 3:17