What is worship, that is, true Christian worship? Worship is easy to understand but rather hard to define. We mostly recognize when we are doing it, but the concept is sometimes difficult to put into “just the right words.” I remember a high school biology class assignment some years back in which I had to define “life” in my own words. I left class that day thinking this was a “pie” assignment; easy to complete and then off to “fun” things with my friends. Why, everyone knows what life is! I can quickly jot that definition down in just a few minutes with only a short sentence or two. Wrong . . . surprise, surprise, surprise! I went home that day and spent a number of hours with dictionaries and science book glossaries (and any other resources that I could get my hands on) trying to come up with the right sentences to describe this simple four-letter word. Well, capturing the essence of worship with a really good definition is something of the same challenge—fairly simply to comprehend but very hard to explain in written form.
It would, perhaps, be valuable in our quest to define (and even better understand) worship if we ask ourselves these five basic questions:
Who do we worship? God—and none other! The Bible says, “You shall have no other gods before Me (Exodus 20:3).”
Why do we worship? Because God is holy and righteous. Because God’s children, the Redeemed, have hearts that are flooded with gratitude. Because God’s compassion, grace, patience, lovingkindness, truth, and forgiveness have touched human lives in immeasurable ways. The Bible says, “The Lord, the Lord God, compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness and truth; who keeps lovingkindness for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgression and sin (Exodus 34:6-7).”
When do we worship? Sunday mornings at 10:00 o’clock—Mondays at 5:39 AM, Tuesdays at 9:46 PM, Wednesdays at Noon, Thursdays at 2:17 PM, Fridays at 7:49 AM, Saturdays at 6:07 PM . . . In other words, true worship involves much more than simply what we do in God’s House on Sunday mornings; it involves all of our lives and at all of our times. The Bible says, “let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God (2 Corinthians 7:1).”
Where do we worship? Anywhere and everywhere, for our God fills the universe. We are reminded, especially, not to neglect our gathering as brothers and sisters in Christ, the church. The Bible says, “not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more, as you see the day drawing near (Hebrews 10:25).”
How do we worship? Not with prideful souls—but with humbled hearts prostrated before Almighty God. The Bible says, “Come, let us worship and bow down; Let us kneel before the Lord our Maker (Psalm 95:6)”.
So, this Easter season, let us worship God only, in gratitude, without ceasing, in fellowship, and humbly.
Refining the heart–Dennis
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