Worship

Worship is vital to our being. We are designed to worship. If we don't worship God through Jesus then we will find ourselves worshipping something else. We become like the things we worship, whether it is money, a sports team, a music group, a political figure, or indeed Jesus.

What does the Bible say about worship? -

1. Example of worship - Psalms 95:1-5
2. Response to God - Revelation 4:8-11
3. Worship in Spirit - John 4:19-24
4. Heart and Treasure in worship - Matthew 6:19-24

Example of worship

Psalms 95:1-5

Come, let us sing to the LORD! Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come to him with thanksgiving. Let us sing psalms of praise to him. For the LORD is a great God, a great King above all gods. He holds in his hands the depths of the earth and the mightiest mountains. The sea belongs to him, for he made it. His hands formed the dry land, too.

Questions for reflection or discussion

1. What attitude to the Lord do you see here?
2. How is the writer’s heart expressed?

Thoughts to consider

Worship is the overflow of the heart. Some worship freely with their own words, others are helped when they are singing songs or meditating on words others have written that resonate. Some worship through nature, others through silence.

Response to God

Revelation 4:8-11

Day after day and night after night [the living beings] keep on saying,
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God, the Almighty— the one who always was, who is, and who is still to come.”

Whenever the living beings give glory and honor and thanks to the one sitting on the throne (the one who lives forever and ever), the twenty-four elders fall down and worship the one sitting on the throne (the one who lives forever and ever). And they lay their crowns before the throne and say,
“You are worthy, O Lord our God, to receive glory and honor and power. For you created all things, and they exist because you created what you pleased.”

Questions for reflection or discussion

1. What is the spontaneous response to seeing God of those closest to God?
2. To whom would you offer glory and honour?
3. What has God done that leads to worship?

Thoughts to consider

Worship is the response of the heart to seeing something really impressive. Often those closest to someone who is idolised see that persons failings. Yet, those closest to God see him as more impressive than people far away.

Worship in Spirit

John 4:19-24

“Sir,” the woman said, “you must be a prophet. So tell me, why is it that you Jews insist that Jerusalem is the only place of worship, while we Samaritans claim it is here at Mount Gerizim, where our ancestors worshiped?”
Jesus replied, “Believe me, dear woman, the time is coming when it will no longer matter whether you worship the Father on this mountain or in Jerusalem. … But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way. For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.”

Questions for reflection or discussion

1. What makes worship Spirit and truth?
2. How could you distinguish between worship that is focused on rules or on the heart?

Thoughts to consider

The forms of worship, the rituals, locations, objects used, are an outward aid that help individuals in worship. These are all aimed at supporting people in the true worship which is seen in the heart and lifestyle of the worshiper.

Heart and Treasure in worship

Matthew 6:19-24

“Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.

“Your eye is like a lamp that provides light for your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is filled with light. But when your eye is unhealthy, your whole body is filled with darkness. And if the light you think you have is actually darkness, how deep that darkness is!

“No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money.

Questions for reflection or discussion

1. What happens to a person’s heart when they invest in a treasure?
2. What treasures could you be investing in?

Thoughts to consider

One way to identify treasure is to see where we invest our disposable time and money or the relationships we focus on. What symbols do we identify with? If these point to something other than Jesus, we might want to re-evaluate our priorities.

Overview question for reflection or discussion

1. How do you worship God?
2. How can you maintain a healthy balance between the things of earth that require our attention of God, who is worthy of praise?

Thoughts to consider

Worship brings an emotive and heart connection to our faith. Without worship, we can be so caught up with our thinking that we miss the real person on whom our hearts are set.

Photo Credit

Edward Cisneros on Unsplash