Worship
Honestly, I have struggled for a long time trying to understand in a deeper and more personal way what worshipping God really means.
I know that Father God is due my worship.
- Psalm 29:2 Give unto the LORD the glory due to His name; Worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.
I understand that Jesus Christ, the manifestation of God in the flesh, is due my worship.
- Matthew 2:11 And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
But I have been unsure about many aspects of worship. Here are a couple of examples:
What should be included in my worship of God?
Doesn’t worshipping God include more than singing, music and offerings?
- 2 Chronicles 29:28 So all the assembly worshiped, the singers sang, and the trumpeters sounded; all this continued until the burnt offering was finished.
Doesn’t worshiping God preclude the worship of any other ‘gods’?
- Daniel 3:28 Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, who sent His Angel and delivered His servants who trusted in Him, and they have frustrated the king’s word, and yielded their bodies, that they should not serve nor worship any god except their own God!
When is the right time to worship God?
When my times of feeling far from Him are over?
- Isaiah 27:13 So it shall be in that day: The great trumpet will be blown; They will come, who are about to perish in the land of Assyria, And they who are outcasts in the land of Egypt, And shall worship the Lord in the holy mount at Jerusalem.
When I find myself in His very presence?
- Revelation 19:4 And the twenty-four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who sat on the throne, saying, “Amen! Alleluia!”
Often when I am struggling with what something really means, I find it helpful to do some research and write down my own definition. So I read some, studied some, and prayed a lot. Here is what I came up with.
Worship
- The intentional and involuntary actions, attitudes and assertions of God’s creation in recognition of, respect for and reliance upon the attributes, assurances and activities of Jehovah – the one true God as revealed in The Bible and in life.
But practically speaking, what should that look like in my daily life? I am praying, seeking and trusting that my worship will become:
- A Spontaneous Response to the Revelation and Demonstration of God’s Character
- A Faithful Response to the Preeminence and Permanence of God’s Lordship
- A Prayerful Response to the Certainty and Beauty of God’s Providence
- An Obedient Response to the Truth and Excellency of God’s Word
- A Grateful Response to the Sufficiency and Timeliness of God’s Provision
- A Humble Response to the Perfection and Compassion of God’s Love
- A Sincere Response to the Presence and Power of God’s Spirit
- A Jubilant Response to the Reality and Permanence of my Relationship with God’s Son
Worshiping God is responding to Him genuinely.
Anything that brings Him glory can be worship.
Anytime is the right time to worship Him.
One thing is for certain, the LORD will be worshipped – whether I do it or not!
- Luke 19:37-40 Then, as He was now drawing near the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works they had seen, 38 saying: “ ‘Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the LORD!’ Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” 39 And some of the Pharisees called to Him from the crowd, “Teacher, rebuke Your disciples.” 40 But He answered and said to them, “I tell you that if these should keep silent, the stones would immediately cry out.”
Prayer
Heavenly Father, as flawed and insufficient as my worship of You may be, I pray that You accept it, knowing it comes from a heart that longs for You, a life that depends on You, and a sinner who trusts you. I ask that everything I do is worshipful and honoring to You. In the power and perfection of Christ’s name I pray. Amen.
