True Worship
Biblical worship is not primarily for our personal enjoyment or entertainment. Worship is an antenna of gratitude that helps eliminate all the cultural static and enables us to tune in to the voice and activities of God in his world and in his church. If during worship, we never see Christ as King, true worship has eluded us. If during worship, we never sense a need for cleansing – repentance & renewal – we have failed to worship. If during worship, we enjoy the music, the preaching, and the people but over time fail to connect to God’s kingdom purposes, our model of worship has failed us – regardless of the excellence of the musicians, communicator, and the richness of fellowship within a community.
Jacob is remembered for his response to the presence of God. Moses is remembered because of his response to the presence of God. Isaiah is remembered because of his response to the presence of God. An unnamed Samaritan woman is remembered because of her response to Jesus. Paul is remembered because of his response to the presence of Jesus. John is remembered because of his encounter with the Ancient of Days. I often wonder – how will we be remembered?
Worship is responding to all that God is with all that we are. That’s how the Bible unpacks it. Whenever anyone accepts Jesus Christ as Lord, the good news in him or her begins to grow. That seed of the Kingdom responds in gratitude directed towards God. We thank God for what he’s done; we praise him for who he is; we worship him because he’s worthy. As we see who he really is, the Christian heart bows in adoration and expectation, and is moved by the Spirit toward personal transformation and incarnation. Like Isaiah discovered, the God of all creation will, at special moments and “at certain places,” engage our thanksgiving and praise with a revelation of his good purposes. Worship prepares us to hear God’s voice – in our hearts, in the church, in the family, and in the world. So, I believe that all of creation yearns to worship God. All of history is moving towards answering once and for all who will be worshipped as God. Satan knew the ultimate issue was worship – he hit it straight on with Jesus (Matthew 4; Luke 4). Everything is on a collision course with this final reality – “the earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof, and all they that dwell therein.” Paul tells us who will emerge as victor when he writes “every knee will bow, every tongue will confess, that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of the Father.” John graphically recounts for us that the atmosphere of heaven is worship and that heaven is to be populated with worshippers “from every tribe, every language, every people, and every nation.” Spirit-directed worship reminds us regularly that Jesus really succeeded in his mission. Worship helps us to celebrate His victory now in part, enough to give us a glimpse of how it will be one day for those who love his appearing. Biblical worship touches heaven and, as a result, changes earth through those believers who treasure the incredible opportunity of “responding to all that God is with all that they are.” SELAH