How Do You Worship God?
Good Morning Friends,
There are a lot of examples of worthy worship in the Bible. The word in the Hebrew for worship in the verb form is “shachah” and it means “to bow down, to prostrate oneself” or to “lay flat on the ground.” But today I think true worship has a different connotation in a dynamic quickening of people’s awareness of the power and presence of our triune God, regardless of our physical positioning. With our new life in Christ we are to be bodies of worship both individually and collectively as an encounter with God but also as a witness of God’s encounter with us. Jesus told the woman at the well that God seeks people who will worship in spirit and truth. Figuring that out is part of worship. Sure it is revering, reverence, adoration, veneration, paying homage to, but hopefully something more. For sadly, according to that basic definition of worship we worship all sorts of things and that misses the point. Understandably much of the narrative of the Bible is about restoring a true worship of God… hoping to bring us into a relationship with God. After the resurrection we see the disciples worship Jesus. Something has changed. Something has transformed. How Do You Worship God?
Scripture: Then Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in the presence of all the assembly of Israel, and spread out his hands to heaven. He said, ‘O Lord, God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven above or on earth beneath, keeping covenant and steadfast love for your servants who walk before you with all their heart,
1 Kings 8:22-23 (NRSV)
But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such as these to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.’
John 4:23-24 (NRSV)
Suddenly Jesus met them and said, ‘Greetings!’ And they came to him, took hold of his feet, and worshipped him.
Matthew 28:9 (NRSV)
I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.
Romans 12:1 (NRSV)
Then Moses and the Israelites sang this song to the Lord: ‘I will sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously; horse and rider he has thrown into the sea.
Exodus 15:1 (NRSV)
Message: The elements of worship have developed differently for different denominations but at the heart of them all is prayer. For in prayer we respond to God and God response to us. There is a language of prayerful worship and there are so many symbols of worship that add to the experience: Candles and paraments…stain glass and robes… We have preludes, introits, welcomes, invocation, anthems, confessions, repentance, forgiveness, affirmations and passing of the peace and laying on of hands. We have hymns, benedictions and postludes. We have sermons and devotionals the Word and Sacraments. We have the gifts and prayers of people lifted up and joined with others as a witness of God continuing to work in and through us in community. But they all are a form of prayer. Music is a prayer. Scripture read and proclaimed is prayer. Confession is prayer. And the sacraments are prayer as well. Baptism is a prayer and a sign of God’s covenant of grace and bond of unity with the people of God. And the Lord’s Supper is a prayer in communion with the crucified and risen Lord. So too true worship can be prayerful teaching and thanksgiving and remembering and being lifted up into Christ’s presence. But ultimately worship is offering ourselves to God as a living prayer that reconciles and turns our lives into mission and service that glorifies God.
Pray we have a life of true worship. Pray in worship we lay our baggage at the foot of the cross. Pray we remove from our lives those things that we prioritize higher than our relationship with God. Pray we break free of the idols in our lives. Pray we stop worshipping past victories and stale ways. Pray we open the doors of our hearts to worship God. Pray we accept the gift God brought into the world through Jesus’
transforming work in true worship. Pray we love God and love our neighbor. Pray we pray unceasingly. Pray we glorify God in worship and in song. Pray we are never bored. Pray we worship with praise and thanksgiving. Pray we lift up joyful songs in worship. Pray we dance as worship as a witness that in God we move and have our very being. Pray we remember and observe times of worship that help others to learn about and experience God. Pray we use our spiritual gifts. Pray we be a cheerful encouragement to others. Pray we be a living sacrifice of worship.
Blessings,
John Lawson
Daily Devotionals 