IS MY WORSHIP ABOUT ME?

Do you know anyone who left a church because they didn’t like the worship?  Granted, there are many different types of worship and various personalities of people.  So, it stands to reason some types would minister to a person better than others.  Having said that, I must also say that it can be very dangerous to judge worship by how it impacts us.  Worship isn’t about us, it’s all about God.  Plus, worship is much more than singing in a certain style.  Yet, studies show most people choose a church based on its Sunday morning music, not it’s doctrinal position.  When did worship become about us, our preferences or our experience?  Worship isn’t to make us feel good or lifted up, it’s to honor and recognize God Himself.  I admit it is easier to do that with music we like, but remember that music is only a means to an end and not the end itself.  Too often the end of worship music is to uplift, entertain and make us feel good instead of focusing solely on God.

We are not commanded to sing in church, but we are commanded to worship, be it in church or out.  We can and should worship any time and place.  Worship is an attitude of heart, not something that only happens during singing in church.  That’s a good thing, because many Christians do not regularly attend church, and too many of those who do come in during or after the music portion of the service.

Worship is so much more than corporate singing. It is a lifestyle of adoration to our God. And it’s something we are to do every day of the week, not just on Saturday nights or Sunday mornings. Worship is described throughout Scripture as: ascribing to Him the glory due His name (Psalm 29:2), bowing down (humbling oneself) and kneeling before Him as our Maker (Psalm 95:6), exalting Him as God (Psalm 99:9), declaring that Jesus is truly God’s Son (Matthew 14:33), presenting your bodies “as a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship” (Romans 12:1),  taking pride in Christ Jesus and putting no confidence in the flesh (Philippians 3:3) and rejoicing always, praying continually, giving thanks in all circumstances (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).

It is dangerous to equate worship with emotions.  We expect a song to move us emotionally and then we consider that worship.  Worship isn’t first and foremost an emotion, it is a mental attitude, a choice to thank and praise God no matter how we are feeling.  We can still worship even when distracted or struggling if we choose to focus on God’s greatness despite our circumstances.  Worship happens when we acknowledge God in our minds, even if we aren’t “in the mood” to worship.

The key to worship is focusing on Jesus and all He has done for you.  Worship is a response to His goodness, love and mercy in our lives.  It’s not an emotion we whip up or a tradition we perform.  It’s spontaneous praise as we focus on Jesus (read Isaiah 6:1-4).

In John 14:23, Jesus told a Samaritan woman worship wasn’t about where it was done – in a sanctuary, warehouse, converted storefront, or home – but about how it’s done. And He wasn’t talking about a beat or lyrics, the absence of drums, or what year the music was written. He said, “true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers” (John 14:23).

To worship God in spirit and truth means having the right heart and motives as we come before the King of kings, either in private or corporate worship, and acknowledging His indwelling Spirit that gives us the desire and enables us the obedience to worship Him in the first place. It then involves a surrender of all that we are and have, to all that He is. Surrender, after all, is saying “Your will, not mine” to God in every area of life—including what we consider our worship preferences.

Psalm 95:1-7  Come,  let us sing for joy  to the LORD;  let us shout aloud  to the Rock  of our salvation.   2 Let us come before him  with thanksgiving and extol him with music  and song.  3 For the LORD is the great God, the great King  above all gods. 4 In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him. 5 The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land. 6 Come, let us bow down  in worship, let us kneel  before the LORD our Maker; 7 for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care.

What does this blog say to you about your worship?

When are you best able to focus your praise and worship on Jesus?

Spend a few minutes right now worshipping God from your heart.