Worship

Sometimes I wonder what does worship really mean? Is it just an orderly practise that is carried out on Sundays just before the preacher goes up? Is it that slower paced songs after the jumpy praise ones? Is it a religious act or ritual where we lift our hands up and sing the words on the screen? Is it group karoke? Or is it perhaps a lifestyle?

1 Corinthians 10:31(NIV)
So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.

For the glory of God. True worship is indeed a lifestyle, a life that pursues causes and things that glorify God. Worship is not just confined to the songs you sing, but the steps you make. It is in everything. How you treat your brother, how you manage your finances, how you speak to strangers, how you deal with difficult people, how you live your life. Because whatever you do, you are reflecting whom you are. So are you of the world, or are you of Christ?

Ephesians 5:1-7 (New Living Translation)
1 Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. 2 Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us[a] and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.3 Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity, or greed among you. Such sins have no place among God’s people. 4 Obscene stories, foolish talk, and coarse jokes—these are not for you. Instead, let there be thankfulness to God. 5 You can be sure that no immoral, impure, or greedy person will inherit the Kingdom of Christ and of God. For a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world.6 Don’t be fooled by those who try to excuse these sins, for the anger of God will fall on all who disobey him. 7 Don’t participate in the things these people do.

True worship is also born from a willing heart.

1 Chronicles 28:9 (New Living Translation)
9 Worship and serve him with your whole heart and a willing mind. For the Lord sees every heart and knows every plan and thought. If you seek him, you will find him. But if you forsake him, he will reject you forever.

I read something very interesting in John Piper's book:

Almost everyone will agree that worship involves some kind of outward act. The very word in Hebrew means to bow down. Worship is singing, lifting of hands, praying, preaching, etc. But the fact is that these things can be done in vain, it can be useless and empty.

In Matthew 15:8-9, Jesus rebukes the Pharisees with scripture from Isaiah 29:13:
This people honour me with their lips, but their hearts are far away from me, in vain they worship Me.

I believe true worship, is worship as an end to itself. Meaning, that it is a birth of a genuine and spontaneous desire in us, something that we do not consciously have to manufacture. Let me explain.

If you are stranded out in the sea, and land is in sight. You do not stop to ponder, "Oh my, how much joy should I feel now that I have found a place to supply me with food and water?" It is not something planned, like booking a hotel or buying a bus ticket.

Or consider fear. If you have not prepared for an exam and it begins in 2 hours, you do not go, "So now that I am in big trouble, how much fear should I be feeling?" No! You will be hysterical. Or imagine camping out in the woods and you hear a growl and see a silhouette of a huge bear coming towards your tent, you do not calculate the good results that might come from the fear the adrenaline produces, you do not rationalize whether it will be of good use to be fearful, you just do!

When I was in Kaikoura, New Zealand. Overlooking the vast and beautiful blue sea, with snow capped mountains standing majesticly in the background, and the air was as fresh as I could ever experience, and the surroundings so peaceful and serene you would wonder whether that was truly heaven, would I have said, "Now to what end do I feel awe and wonder before this beauty?"

When a little child opens up a Christmas gift and finds his most favourite and most wanted toy, which he has wanted for months, he does not think "Now to what end shall I feel happy and thankful?"

Or when a kid enters kindergarden and he gets picked on by the other kids, and his big older brother comes and takes his side, he does not "decide" to feel confidence and love welling up in his little heart. He just does.

That is how it should be when we come to the Throne of grace and glory to give our praise and worship as well. Not grudgingly, not reluctantly. Nor do we have to decide how high should I jump, how loud should I sing. What we should decide, is to give our hearts completely unto Him. For if we truly had a heart for God, and if we truly loved Him with our all, we can rest assured, we shall never worship in vain, but our affections will be like sweet smelling incense unto him.