Spiritual Disciplines | Worship
By and large, I am tempted to say that modern day culture has an insufficient understanding of worship. Somewhere along the lines, we have mistaken the three to four songs before the sermon in a service to be fully encapsulating of our “worship experience.” Even worse, we refer to it as a “worship experience” placing us at the center of focus as if God is obligated to reign down blessing upon us. We leave one another for solitude in an effort to hear better from the Lord. Then, when the music comes to a close, we have the audacity to close our time of worship. We should never complete our worship of God or relegate it specifics “worship nights.” He alone is infinitely worthy of all glory, honor, power, and worship as He reigns over the whole of our lives. Our issue with worship comes in the form that our vision for how this discipline is expressed in scope.
Worship goes beyond simply singing songs to the Lord (though, I caution to not downplay the significance of praise and music). Worship involves giving ourselves fully to the Lord as an offering to Him. The posture lays ourselves before the throne room of God entrusting Him to fully care for our every need and want. It is us, pouring ourselves out to the Lord in reverence and fear regardless of whether or not God blesses us in this process. This act, while it can and should be done privately, also needs to be done corporately with one another. Everyone stands and level ground in our worship of God! Compared to the eternal greatness and glory of God, we all stand with one another together in unity as the body of Christ. There is something remarkably different when our worship comes in the form of rubbing shoulders with the people next to us as our unity of voice cries out to God as Holy and Perfect and Worthy of following. We worship God because of who He is and what He has already accomplished through the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross to save us from our sins.
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Romans 12:1-5
Romans 12:1-5, ESV
Expectations of Worship
A sacrifice gives everything it has for the sake of something. Offering our lives as a living sacrifice means we lay who we are in totality and completeness before the Lord. This submission to God is our spiritual act of worship. It sets us apart from the rest of the world that strives to only live for themselves. While God acts as our friend and intercessor, worship permits us to acknowledge God as King. Bearing this in mind, we can look at a few aspects of our worship.
- The Object of Our Worship None of us would say that the object of our worship is anything other than God. Yet, when honestly looking at the realities of our heart and our attitude during times of coming together, we may find something else. While singing praise to God, we can sometimes expect that God must return the blessing upon us. While God can and may, He is not obligated to. God’s reigning existence is enough to merit our worship as He is the One, True God who reigns forever on the throne. Therefore, we worship God despite whatever we may want or feel. We worship whether we feel God’s presence. Our worship should continue with the same vigor and enthusiasm regardless of whether God reigns downs an abundance of blessing upon us or grows silent for a time. He is still the same God.
- The Means of Our Worship Worship extends well beyond the confines of musical boundaries and soothing melodies. Worship involves the totality of our lives in totality. Every aspects falls at the foot of the throne of God in worship of our Heavenly Father. The mundane tasks, rather than being burdens become opportunities of worship to the God. Worship, when we submit fully to the Lord, transforms every actions into an act of worship to the Lord. If we cannot do the action as worship, we should either look at our heart to do it as unto God or avoid the action all together if it is so sinful. Whatever we do, though, the scope of our worship expands to include everything we do, everywhere we are, and with everyone we meet.
- The Company of Our Worship At its core, though, worship is a corporate discipline that we do with one another. We will have many times for personal revelation and privately experiencing the presence of God. Worship, however, best works itself out in community. Meeting together in church service is no time to separate yourself from others but a chance for the fullness of the local body of Christ to cry out to the Lord together. We stand in unity to worship the same God and rejoice in His Holy Name.
Regarding the use of music, please do not misunderstand. The amount of biblical support for the praise and worship of God through music would make this particular piece unbearably long and you are encouraged to work through the scriptures. People often fear to sing according due to their lack of musical ability. Remember, worship is not about you but about giving our best unto the Lord. Therefore sing with fervor to the best of your ability, whatever that may be. Join the chorus of heaven. Make a joyful noise. At the core of every spiritual discipline lies the fact that God is after our heart and He will take care of our abilities. When we worship Him with our heart, we submit ourselves to God regardless of the public opinion. Everything stems from who God is and what He has done in our lives.
