Merriam Webster defines the act of worship as “to regard with great or extravagant respect, honor, or devotion.” We often envision worship as someone at church, with hands lifted high, during the music before the teaching. But worship has so little to do with music. The Bible does speak about worshipping through songs, and I believe it is an essential part of worship and a tool to aid us into God’s presence; but it’s so much more than that. Deuteronomy 6:5 says to “Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.” Our love for God will always lead to worship—in one form or another.
So why do we worship? God created everything you see, and everything you don’t. He created time itself, and every bit of our universe, which we have yet to understand or even fully measure it’s vastness; and as if that wasn’t enough, he sent his Son to die for us, and provided a way to Him when sin had separated us. Psalm 139:13 says, “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.” Matthew 10:30 point out that “even the very hairs of your head are all numbered.” He is the reason you exist. God is also the only one who is perfect and holy. He is the only one worthy of our worship. My old youth pastor and a great man of God, the late Joshua Jefferson, once said, “God is so awesome that he simply had to create someone to acknowledge how awesome he is.” I’m sure that I’m paraphrasing there, and while it seems almost silly, he really is that amazing. You may think that it almost seems conceited, but no one else can claim to be perfect, or to have created everything. Don’t get me wrong: God doesn’t need us to worship him or acknowledge his greatness, but he does demand it.
If you look at the Old Testament and some New Testament passages, you’ll notice on several occasions that people fall face-down before God in worship. That seems to be the natural response to the majesty of God. I can only imagine what that’s like. Like I said earlier: God doesn’t just want your songs and music to him. He asks for all of you. John 4:24 says the we “…must worship in spirit and truth.” That’s how we worship him. Romans 12:1 says to “…offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is true worship.” Another translation says it is your “reasonable” act of worship. It’s only reasonable that we dedicate our entire lives to the one and only God who loves us dearly. It’s the least we could do. God wants to use us for his glory while we are living. Once we are gone, we can no longer lead people to him.
In Psalm 42:2 the author writes, “My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?” Here, the author expresses such an unshakeable desire for God. Can you relate to that? Can you honestly say that you “thirst” for God? Let’s contemplate that. Someone who thirsts for God wants to live for his glory, and that should truly be our hearts’ greatest desire. Our every breath should glorify God. Everything we do should point to him, and should cause others to worship him. Tomorrow morning when you wake up, ask God that everything you do—every action, every word out of your mouth, every thought in your mind, even the very motive for all of those things—would glorify him. Then, don’t forget it! Be obedient. Stay in his word and hide it in your heart that you might not sin against him. Constantly be in prayer. Surround yourself with others that share the same goals and believe in the one true God. And finally, be ready for every opportunity that God sends your way for you to share the hope you have in you! Also, if you don’t have a church that you call “home,” come to my awesome church.
Think of all that you do for a moment: from the instant you open to your eyes in the morning, to the second you lay your head to sleep and forget (or not) about everything. What occupies that majority of your time? Who are you living for? Who do you worship?
Let’s worship God with everything that we are.
So what can I say
and what can I do
but offer this heart, o God,
completely to you?
-Joel Houston
The way I see it. 