Worship is...

Worship is…

   The word worship is used to describe the way we feel about many things. We use the word in different contexts. If a guy is head over heels over a woman we describe it as, he worships the ground she walks on. If we cannot get enough of our favorite band we are labeled as worshiping our band. When we eat a meal that is so good, our experience borders on worship, because the food is that good. Most of our understanding and definition of worship is based on Webster’s dictionary; reverent honor and homage paid to God or a sacred personage, or to any object regarded as sacred, to feel an adoring reverence or regard for (any person or thing), to attend services of divine worship. Maybe is me but there seems to be something missing. The Hebrew words most often used for worship are; shâchâh (shaw-khaw') A primitive root; to depress, that is, prostrate (especially reflexively in homage to royalty or God): - bow (self) down, crouch, fall down (flat), humbly beseech, do (make) obeisance, do reverence, make to stoop, worship, and; âbad (aw-bad') A primitive root; to work (in any sense); by implication to serve, till, (causatively) enslave, etc.: be, keep in bondage, be bondmen, bond-service, compel, do, dress, ear, execute, + husbandman, keep, labour (-ing man), bring to pass, (cause to, make to) serve (-ing, self), (be, become) servant (-s), do (use) service, till (-er), transgress [from margin], (set a) work, be wrought, worshiper.  The Greek word that describes worship is; proskuneō (pros-koo-neh'-o) to fawn or crouch to, that is, (literally or figuratively) prostrate oneself in homage (do reverence to, adore): - worship.

If I am reading and understanding these Biblical definitions of worship, it looks to me that worship is not passive and it requires our complete involvement.

   My narrow view of worship has totally driven me to start to search and research what Biblical worship looks like. Tom Kraeuter says this; “Worship should honor God, be 100% directed towards God and it requires our involvement.” Scripture in Psalm 29:2; Psalm 96:9 and Matthew 4:10 describe what that looks like. As we read and meditate on these passages we need to ask some questions. When we come to worship do we “Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name”? Do we worship Him in the “splendor of his holiness”? Do we worship Him and Him only and serve Him and Him only? When we come to worship how have we prepared our hearts? Were you harried because you could not get out of your house on time for Sunday school? Did you have your weekly argument with your spouse about why he or she is not joining with you to church? Did your children linger around not getting ready in hopes that you will leave them behind? Did you leave you house later than you wanted and traffic just stole the last bit of peace you had left for church? Does the music in your car connect you with creation (you) or the creator? Are your thoughts about the length of the service keeping you from being aware you are in the presence of God? Did you go home thinking that the music was too modern, too old, too loud, and too patriotic or not your style? Is there a problem, situation or circumstance in our lives that is more important than worshiping God? If I may, I can answer that last question with conviction with a loud NO!

   In pursue of pleasure, achievement and identity we let other things take our time to worship God away from us. Everything must fit our schedule. We select an hour or so on Sundays to be the “only appropriate” time to worship God. To that time we add even more restrictions; dress code, sitting arrangements, music preferences, Sunday school attendance, scripture preferences, out of context theology, parking spaces, homemade or store bought coffee cake judgment, the list goes on and on. In a few words, our pride rules our lives. These things in and of themselves are not bad things, but when we try to imposed the ones we value on everyone, that is when things get out of hand. Worshiping God has to do with us humbling ourselves before a great and merciful God who loves us in spite our faults. A God, who needs nothing, that did not want to spend eternity without us at His side. A God whose love for us fueled his desire to sacrifice himself in our place through Jesus Christ, that we may have eternal life with Him. Worship is us down on our faces surrendering and humbling ourselves in service, with all our gifts and talents, before an awesome God who loves us more than anyone will ever love us.

RH