2008-04-08 - Worship

Psalms 29:1-2 Give unto the LORD, O ye mighty, give unto the LORD glory and strength. ² Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.

Take a few minutes to answer this question. What is worship? Don't go any further until you've answered this question. Write your answer down.

Worship is a very loaded word and so with it come many thoughts. Some of you no doubt thought of a type of music. Others thought of Sunday morning service. Some of you may have thought of a quiet time and place at home that you spend in study and prayer.

I decided to look up worship in the dictionary. Here are the definitions I found:

worship, n - reverence offered a divine being or supernatural power; also : an act of expressing such reverence (honor or respect felt or shown, profound adoring awed respect) v - 1 : to honor or reverence as a divine being or supernatural power) 2 : to regard with great or extravagant respect, honor, or devotion

Basically, worship is an act that shows you value something or the process of showing that something has worth to you. If you just sing songs that you like, ones that make you feel good, then you are worshipping yourself. If you just spend quiet time at home because it helps you focus and have a better day then your showing that your feelings are important. If you just go to church on Sunday mornings because it's expected of you then you worship at the feet of other's opinions. Examine your motives for why you do whatever it is you call worship. Is it genuinely ascribing worth to God or is there some other motive? Some people may worship God serving in a soup kitchen rather than singing a few choruses. Others may genuinely sing songs to God with total disregard for what those around you may think of your abilities. Sitting on a sofa, watching TV all the time doesn't worship anything except the little box with moving pictures. Spending all your time off cleaning your cars and boats is possession worship. Will you worship your possessions, yourself, other people, or the magnificent creator of the whole universe?

Search your heart, pour it out before God, lay it all at his feet and lay there face down before your God. Tell him he is worthy of your all and give it to him.

A song by Ross king really spoke to me when I first heard it. i hopes its lyrics will touch you and help you worship our Lord and King.

Clear the Stage - Ross King

Clear the stage and set the sound and lights ablaze
If that's the measure that it takes to crush the idols.
Chuck the pews and all the decorations too
Until the congregations few then have revival.
Tell your friends that this is where the party ends
until you're broken for your sins you can't be social.
Then seek the Lord and wait for what he has in store
and know that great is your reward and just be hopeful

Cause you can sing all you want to.
Yes you can sing all you want to
you can sing all you want to
And don't get me wrong, worship is more than a song.

Take a break from all the plans that you made
And sit at home alone and wait for God to whisper.
Beg Him please to open up his mouth and speak
And pray for real upon your knees until they blister.
Shine the light on every corner of your life
Until the pride and lust and lies are in the open.
Then read the word and put to test the things you've heard
Until your heart and soul are stirred and rocked and broken.

Cause you can sing all you want to.
Yes you can sing all you want to
you can sing all you want to
And don't get me wrong, worship is more than a song.

Anything I put before my God is an idol.
Anything I want with all my heart is an idol.
Anything I can't stop thinking of is an idol.
Anything that I give all my love is an idol.
We must not worship something that's not even worth it.
Clear the stage and make some space for the one who deserves it.

Cause I can sing all I want to.
Yes I can sing all I want to
I can sing all I want to
And still get it wrong, worship is more than a song.

And you can sing all you want to.
Yes you can sing all you want to
You can sing all you want to
But don't get me wrong, worship is more than a song.

IHFHBOH
Adam

adam@cfdevotionals.org
http://www.cfdevotionals.org

All scripture references from KJV unless otherwise noted