The word worship often seems to be associated with music, even within the church. If someone were to ask me to say the first word that came to my mind when they said the word worship, I would probably say music. Many churches also give the title of Worship Leader or Worship Pastor to the individual who leads music during services. Music is one way of worshipping God, and it is one of my favorite ways, but it is only one of several avenues of worship.
Merriam-Webster provides the following definition of the word worship: “to regard with great or extravagant respect, honor, or devotion.” Music can be a form of worship, but only if our hearts are in the right place. Our singing must come from a place of respect, honor, and devotion. When our hearts are in the right place, drawing, writing, praying, reading the Bible, and even dancing can be acts of worship. Worship is less about what we are doing and more about how we do it. Worship is an attitude.
Romans 12:1-2 says, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” Offering our lives to God so that we can glorify Him in everything we do is the purest form of worship. Whether we are eating, working, or relaxing, we can choose to surrender to God and give Him respect, honor, and devotion.
One way that we can ensure we are worshipping God at all times is by making sure we represent Him well. When we are with our friends do we speak wholesome and encouraging language, or do we degrade them? When we see someone that needs help do we stop as the Good Samaritan did, or do we keep on walking (Luke 10:25-37)? When our parents ask for help do we respond willingly, or do we grumble and complain? When we choose the first options, we are respecting God by following His commands. We honor God by allowing the focus to be on Him and letting Him shine in us. We show our devotion by committing to living a life that is holy and pleasing to Him.
Another important part of worship is utilizing our time well. Are you guilty of making your daily prayer and devotional time just another item on your to-do list? Do you ever rush through your Bible reading so you can get on with your day? Have you found yourself avoiding reading your Bible or praying, saying you’ll do it later, only to fall asleep before you finish? My answer to all of those questions would have to be yes. Sadly, when we treat our devotions as a chore, we aren’t worshipping God. Even when we are spending time with God, we aren’t worshipping Him if we don’t have an attitude of respect, honor, and devotion.
Do not try to squeeze your time with God into your schedule; put worship above all else. Worship is an incredible privilege, not a religious duty. We have the opportunity to honor a God who is loving, truthful, gracious, merciful, sovereign, and so much more. Choose to see worship as something more than a list of obligations. Attending church and reading our Bible are important parts of worship and we should see those things as privileges. But, Worship is also much more. Do the things you enjoy, and have an attitude of worship while you do those things. Make the choice to honor God in everything you do. In awe, recognize what a humble privilege it is to worship a good Father.
Photo: The Word for the Day
