why do we play?

Passage John 4:21-24: The Message

21 -23"Believe me, woman, the time is coming when you Samaritans will worship the Father neither here at this mountain nor there in Jerusalem. You worship guessing in the dark; we Jews worship in the clear light of day. God's way of salvation is made available through the Jews. But the time is coming—it has, in fact, come—when what you're called will not matter and where you go to worship will not matter.
23 -24"It's who you are and the way you live that count before God. Your worship must engage your spirit in the pursuit of truth. That's the kind of people the Father is out looking for: those who are simply and honestly themselves before him in their worship. God is sheer being itself—Spirit. Those who worship him must do it out of their very being, their spirits, their true selves, in adoration."

wow..have u ever wondered why we worship? why we play? i know i have. many times we do it out of obligation. we do it because we have to for there is nobody else than can do it. other times we do it becuase we are the best singer or musician at our instrument. sometimes we do it to show everyone how good we are. but i tell you what..God will never manifest in anything we do until we do as this scripture says. Many versions of the Bible says "to worship in spirit and in truth". but i just loved how this version said it.."when what you're called will not matter and where you go to worship will not matter". you see..it doesnt matter if you are the best singer in the world or the best muscian in the world..if you are not completly 100% using your talent to glorifythe King of Kings and for the glory of God..your talent is useless. it is a waste. nothing is going to come out of your playing. everytime before i play i ask God to take me and make me a hollow vessel filled with God so that it is not me playing but it is the Spirit of God and that every note or chord i play is not the work of my hands but is the work of God. how cool would it be if everytime you play people didnt say "man you sing awesome or wow the best drummer in the world" but rather "wow..i could really feel the Holy Spirit through your playing or singing". rather than glorify us as an awesome worship band (which we are) they glorify God.
you see..this scripture says "That's the kind of people the Father is out looking for: those who are simply and honestly themselves before him in their worship". many times we try to act like someone we are not. we try to be "good christians" because people are watching. you know what..when it comes down to it..when we do that..we are hippacrites and God wont doing anything with us. we have to be simple and honest in our worship. God knows we are not perfect..so dont act like we are. be honest. seek the truth.
i want to finish with this. the scripture also says "it's who you are and the ways you live that count before God". you know what..if the only time we seek God is on that stage on Wednsday..we are playing for the people and not for God. for if we were playing for God we would seek God and worship him with our entire lives and not just when people are watching. a teacher of mine in college told our class this and i will never forget it:

Private actions have public effects.

From what i know..my teacher wasnt a christian..but this statement hit me hard. if we are not seeking God in the times when nobody is watching. in the times when we are all alone. in the times when only us and God knows what we are doing. why then would He show up when we call on His name in front of people? When are in the presence of God every moment of everyday and God knows our voice..that is when God will respond and move in our worship becuase He knows we are truly and honestly seeking Him.

Dont call on God so that people can see and hear you and they can do it too...call on God in the quiet and with the way you live your life.

Then God will already be in you and all you have to do is what God called you to do..

Worship.