Thoughts on Worship

Psalm 95:6 & 7
Come, let us bow down in worship,

Let us kneel before the Lord our Maker;

For he is our God and we are the people of his pasture,

the flock under his care.

  Worship of God our Creator I believe should be a large part of a Christian's life. The Bible speaks of it often and I don't believe it is optional.  Luke 4:8 says: "Jesus answered, "It is written; Worship the Lord your God and serve Him only."

 So what does it really mean to worship? 

   I started thinking about this again lately because of some things that came up in my life. A few weeks ago I was biking over to my sister Keren's for our Tuesday morning prayer time. The roads were icy (and no, I shouldn't have been biking but I like the exercise and fresh air and I have limited time) and my bike slipped and I fell down, landing on my left shoulder. It hurt! I sprained my shoulder and tore some stuff. It is healing nicely now and I can do a lot more but I was very restricted at first (I do still have to be careful) and I couldn't play the piano with my left hand. For a long time piano playing/singing has been my way of working through emotions, of really pouring my heart out to God and how I feel like I am able to worship most intensely. I love doing it in the church setting along with the congregation singing and I love doing it here at home by myself.  Not being able to play the piano really put a cramp in my style and I struggled with it.

  A lot of times we have a tendency to relate music to worship and kind of forget that worship is so much more than that. To worship means to give reverent honor (high respect, great esteem) and homage (special honor or respect shown publicly) to God.  From looking into the Greek words used in the Bible for worship we get the idea of "to kiss" such as kissing the hand of a superior or kissing the ground at their feet, to completely prostrate oneself to do that. Romans 12:1 explains a little of what worship is: "Therefore I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercies, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God. This is your true and proper worship." 

So, I believe worship would be this total giving up of ourselves to God. Throwing ourselves at His feet (figurately but also sometimes, perhaps, quite literally) and honoring Him for who He is, what He has done and what He will do. To realize that we are nothing without Him, To publicly declare His praise and worthiness.

So, I absolutely believe we can do this with music but I also believe we can make beautiful music (that is even filled with wonderful, God praising words) and not worship God at all while we are making it. We can sing it in pride. We can sing it while day dreaming and not thinking of God at all. The heart has to be engaged and humbly honoring God in order for it truly to be worship. Let's not forget who the One is that we are worshipping: "Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire." Hebrews 12:28 & 29

    I was looking for pictures to go along with this post (because I like pictures - and just words are never quite as fun) and it was kind of fun for me to look through pictures and see which ones reminded me to worship. There are so many things in our very normal lives that should prompt us to turn to God in worship, here are some that struck me in that way...

Bread - something yummy that fills our tummies - a gift from my sister-in-law. This reminded me that my trust in God is so well placed. This has been a super hard year but God has put so many people in my life to bring help and beauty. He provides for us over and over again. 

Another reminder of God's care and provision - my Dad helping to fix things up for AirBnB guests to come in the future. Working to finish our basement for this purpose has felt very overwhelming at times as I have faced projects that I had never attempted before. But through it all God has been there to give me strength, wisdom and a helping hand when I need it. 

A walk outside with my girls. Getting out in nature is very often something that prompts me to worship God. He is the creator of everything and I do love to see His artistry and design in the natural world. And then thinking of my girls (and my boys and that Grandson)... when I think how God has blessed me with the children that I have- that God was willing to entrust them to my care and training- my heart is just overwhelmed in worship of a God who gives me strength, gives me wisdom and gives me grace when I make mistakes - which  is often.

My mother and my Grandson - two of the people that very openly show me love. Both gifts from God. He is the one who blessed me with them in my life. 

Flowers. Not only do I enjoy and admire the beauty that God made but I am so overwhelmed with gratitude that God has so blessed me that I can work with flowers regularly and share them and their beauty with others. To know that God made me with the talents and interests that I have and He lets me pursue those things instead of doing many, many other jobs that don't energize me and help me thrive. He is so very good to me!

Canoeing on the river by our house, it is an activity that I find very peaceful and restful. Both of those things (peace and rest) are truly found in Jesus Christ. That is surely something that prompts me to worship. Even in the midst of trials we can have peace and rest.

Seeing how God provides for us - not just the bare necessities but abundantly, beautifully and wonderfully. It leaves me in awe and reverence to know that He can provide so well for each one of us.

And though I did speak earlier of how music is by far not the only way to worship God it certainly is one beautiful way that we can spend time giving God the glory, honor and praise. I am incredibly grateful that God made music and that he made it so beautiful. I am thankful for the many wonderful song writers and composers that put thoughts into music in a way that can be meaningful to so many of us. 

When we were in Florida last month I did have fun just sitting on the beach thinking on the awesomeness of God and what He can do. I was able to spend time in prayer and praise. I am very grateful for that time.

"But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” John 4:23 & 24

God is seeking those that will worship Him - I hope that you and I will be among those that do!