Worship

Jesus answered, “It is written:

‘Worship the Lord your God and

serve him only.’ ”

                          Luke 4:8 

     Worship means to express praise and devotion to someone—adoration. When applied to the idols of this world, we must acknowledge that too often we worship at the altar of fame, fortune, celebrity, ability or power. It seems too many people will do anything for their fifteen minutes of television or internet fame. The time we spend trying to get affirmation from our fellow men and women can take the place of time we should spend with our God. If you question that, please check out all the social media outlets available: LinkedIn, twitter, face book, blogs, websites etc. None of these are bad in themselves but the misuse…

     Psalm 135:15-18 explains how we become like the idols we worship—“those who make them will be like them.” Jeremiah 7 explains that we cannot worship while we maintain a sinful lifestyle and Nehemiah 9:2-3 shows confession preceding worship.

     God’s Word gives us much instruction regarding the worship of the One True God Jehovah. II Chronicles 16:29 tells us to “ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name…worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness.” Psalm 100:2 reminds us to “worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.” Hebrews 10:1 explains why we should “draw near” to worship God.

     In Jeremiah 29:13, the LORD’s message to his chosen people is an indictment that could be made across many of our churches in America; “The Lord says: ‘These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is made up only of rules taught by men.’ ”

     As Jesus spoke in John 4:23-24, He told us what kind of worshipers God seeks when He said, “Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.”

    It is easy to attend “worship” services which last approximately one hour, and leave having never worshiped God at all. I have done it. How about you? It is easy to bow in our private prayer time and say the words, “I worship you Lord,” without ever really worshiping at all. I have done it. How about you? It is easy to skip the confession of our sins and convince ourselves that we have worshiped God. I have done it. How about you?

      True worship means I must give my heart, my life, my will to my Heavenly Father. I must lay aside all the trappings that this world offers and focus on the Father. I must remember that He alone is worthy of worship and I must follow the instructions given by the angel to John in Revelation 22:9b “Worship God!”

 

JP 2013