Children of the Light: Worship that Pleases God

For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.

‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭5‬:‭8‬-‭11‬ ‭‬‬

Tonight, as I stood in worship, my heart longed to meet God in reverence and truth. Yet, amidst the voices lifted in praise, my eyes were drawn to the flashing lights that pulsed like a nightclub. The steady glow that once illuminated the worship hall had been replaced with a spectacle—multicolored strobe lights, a swirling smoke, and even a fire dance. Instead of an atmosphere of holiness, it felt as though the world had crept into the sacred space, bringing with it a distortion of true worship.

It was alarming. Not because lights and effects are inherently wrong, but because they seemed to shift the focus. Worship is not about entertainment. It is not about creating a performance that excites the senses but leaves the spirit untouched. Worship is about surrender—about coming before God in purity and awe. Jesus said, God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth. (John 4:24). True worship is not a mixture of worldly pleasure and godly devotion; it is a wholehearted offering of our lives to Him.

Paul reminds us in Romans 12:1, Offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.

Worship is about holiness. It is about setting ourselves apart for God, not blending into the ways of the world. When we allow entertainment to overshadow the sacred, we risk losing the heart of worship.

The youth, full of zeal and passion, are watching. If we normalize a form of worship that looks no different from a concert or a party, what message are we sending? Are we leading them into the presence of God or into a version of worship that stirs emotions but does not transform hearts?

As children of the light, we are called to reflect Christ in everything we do—including how we worship. May we not be conformed to the patterns of this world, but may we worship with reverence, in truth, and in a way that truly honors the holiness of our God.

Let us return to worship that exalts God alone, where the light that shines is not artificial but the radiant glory of His presence. God’s presence.