The Holy Spirit has shaped my understanding
of what it really means to worship. Worship is more than a song or an event. It’s
more than Sunday mornings. Worship is about the intention behind your words,
and the attitude of your heart. More important than anything is the moment
during worship where it’s just you and Jesus. The distinction between knowing about Jesus and actually knowing him intimately is the difference in our
lives. We were created to be in relationship with the Father. We were made to
be connected to him, and one way to do this is through worship.
This can be done anytime, anywhere. We invite
this beautiful connection when we set aside whatever else we are doing. Staying
connected to him is how we grow and how we can thrive every single day. Everything
we do flows smoother when we are connected to the Giver of life. When we make
the choice to worship, we tap into His power source. He connects us to peace
when we’re worried. Joy when we’re brokenhearted. Strength when we are weak.
It’s safe to say that without the grace of
God, we would all be unqualified to come into the presence of God. It’s like
hitting a reset button. The clutter starts to disappear and my perspective
shifts. The more He shapes me into who He created me to be. When we worship, we
are sending out a reminder that we belong to God and that He is fighting our
battles for us. Corporate worship is beautiful when people gather together to
sing songs to God and to declare truth about who He is and what He says about
us.
Jesus isn’t limiting our worship to a time of
singing, or even a meeting. In fact, that’s one of the things he wants to set
straight. He doesn’t say that place doesn’t matter, but that there’s a new
place. That place is in Jesus himself. He is now our means of access and the
one who makes our worship acceptable to God. When we believe Jesus died as our
substitute on the cross, receiving God’s wrath against our sins to purchase our
forgiveness and adoption into his family, we can be confident not only that our
worship is accepted, but that everything we do can be an act of worship. Here are six important points to remember about worship:
1.
Worship is an encounter with the
living God-God’s presence
has always been a defining characteristic of God’s people. As Christians, we
should be keenly aware of God’s promise to be with us and to be active among
us. And we should long for the day when God will reveal himself fully to us in
heaven.
While worship in the new heavens
and new earth will certainly include singing, it will be much more than merely
singing. Every activity will be carried out for one purpose: to magnify the
glory and grace of God. Reflecting on that reality should only motivate us to
greater godliness, greater gratitude, and greater joy today.
2.
Worship is exalting God with my
entire life -Worship isn’t
primarily about an experience, mood, or atmosphere. It’s about making much of
the authority, goodness, and holiness of God as seen in Jesus Christ. I can do
that any time or anywhere.
God wants our
love for Him to include more than just Sunday mornings. Worshipping God should
be a daily part of our lives. One way that we worship God is to love the
people He has sent into our lives. As we pray for them, help them and share our
lives with them, we are pleasing God. When we live a life that is pleasing to
God, He sees it as worship.
3.
Worship is meant to be a community
activity-Inside or
outside of a meeting, worship involves not only our relationship with God but
also our relationships with those he has reconciled to himself through the
blood of Christ. If worship is now in and through Christ, I am inextricably
linked to everyone else in the family. They’re not a hindrance to my worship;
rather, they’re an essential part of it. We worship God together whether we
want to or not.
4.
Worship is not primarily about
giving, but receiving-Worship isn’t
something we begin. It’s existed from all eternity as the three persons of the
Triune God have enjoyed perfect communion from eternity. Worship is God
inviting us into that relationship. We do not approach God based on our own
choice or ability. It takes God to worship God. Not only does God draw us and
enable us to appreciate his beauty and authority, he also reveals himself to us
in his Word.
5.
Worship is one
of the most important ways of loving God-Worship
is a natural outflow of my love for God. When you love someone, you try
to do the things that please them. The same principle applies to our worship
and love for God, God is looking for worshippers who will willingly worship Him
with their whole heart. He is looking for people who are passionate in their
love for Him. God is not that interested in lukewarm love. He does not want 50%
or 75%. God wants you to love Him with your whole heart, soul, mind and
strength.
6.
Worship is
surrendering your life to God-True worship comes from a surrendered life. I have
learned that when God starts asking questions that something unusual is about
to happen. I have also learned that God can do a better job with my life then I
can. So once again, I surrendered my whole life to God. A life without
reservations to follow whatever He wanted me to go and do whatever He wanted me
to do. I have learned that totally surrendering to God is the most powerful way
to live my life.
One of the great
Christian leaders of the 20th century was Bill Bright, the founder of Campus
Crusade for Christ. Through his staff around the world, the Four Spiritual
Laws tract and the Jesus film (seen by over 4 billion), more than 150 million
people have come to Christ and will spend eternity in Heaven. Are you still
arguing and struggling with God over His right to do with your life as He
pleases? If God is speaking to you, I urge you to surrender to Him. Trust me,
it is the best decision that you will ever make.
“God is not looking for incredibly high notes,
intricate riffs or award winning ad-libbing. God is looking at the heart.” (Temi Peters)[i]
[i] Sources used:
·
“3
Things to Remember When Worshipping” by Michelle Schorp
·
“5
Things to Remember about Worship” by Bob Kauflin
·
“The Five Most
Important Facts about Worship”
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