Worship

WE WATCHED THE LONG LINE of solemn-faced worshipers haul a variety of animals to sacrifice to their god, one of 330 million gods in their religion. Walking barefoot, despite the cold, the poorer families carried doves and chickens. By contrast, the wealthy people brought goats. Children held on to their small birds or the hem of their father’s garment as they made their way down the hill.

In this rural area, the hill of mud, with a small stream of water near the bottom, served as a temple where the priest blessed the weekly sacrifices. Our national partners explained that each blood sacrifice was offered to gain an answer to prayer or to appease an angry god. But since the people would never know whether their requests were answered, they trudged back up the hill with the same sad faces. The scene was so upsetting that I wept the first time I witnessed idol worship in one of the countries where Bob and I minister.

We may be too sophisticated in our culture to worship a god requiring the blood of animals. Instead, we worship the idols accepted in our world: personalities, ideas, status, education, popularity, wealth, and whatever you might fill in the blank with. These subtle idols threaten to invade the places in our hearts that belong to God alone.

What is worship? When I began to attend church in college, I was embarrassed to admit that I had no idea what worship was. Then, for a religion class, I read the book of Revelation. I didn’t understand it, but for the first time, I experienced worship. Tears filled my eyes as I read this passage:

I heard the voice of many angels around the throne and the living creatures and the elders; and the number of them was myriads of myriads, and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice, “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing.” And every created thing which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all things in them, I heard saying, “To Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb, be blessing and honor and glory and dominion forever and ever.” And the four living creatures kept saying, “Amen.” And the elders fell down and worshiped.

The term worship, as it’s used in the Bible, implies bowing. Worship is bowing before God, acknowledging His rightful place in our lives. It involves removing any potential idols, those things that threaten God’s rightful place in our hearts. We were made to worship. We either worship God or we worship something He created. Paul warned the Romans not to exchange “the truth of God for a lie” by worshiping and serving “the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever” (Romans 1:25).

Worship is humbling ourselves before God because we are overwhelmed by His love and grace, so thankful for who He is and what He has done. He is a mighty God: holy, loving, just, righteous, true, kind, gracious, infinite, omnipresent, omniscient, and so much more. And He has done mighty works. In the words of Moses, “O Lord GOD, You have begun to show Your servant Your greatness and Your strong hand; for what god is there in heaven or on earth who can do such works and mighty acts as Yours?” (Deuteronomy 3:24). The works of God are too numerous to count. He created the world and every creature, from angels to the ant. Yet His greatest work was not creation but salvation. It took God’s fingers to put the moon and stars in space (see Psalm 8:3), but it took His strong arm to send His only Son to die in our place and to raise Him from the dead: “The LORD has bared His holy arm in the sight of all the nations, that all the ends of the earth may see the salvation of our God” (Isaiah 52:10).

As I read the passages above and think more about worship, I am both convicted that I too often neglect this privilege and encouraged that the Lord draws me close. Worship may not begin as a spiritual experience, but it seems to lead to one: a sweet time of fellowship that moves our hearts in the direction of our Savior.

REFLECTION

Take time from your busy schedule to worship the Lord. The Bible encourages us to worship Him in spirit and truth (see John 4:23). Bask in His love for you. Talk to Him, listen to Him, sing to Him. Worship can be corporate, and it can also be a meaningful personal time between your heavenly Father and His grateful child.