When
most of us think of worship we think of music, or prayer, or sermons. We might also think of a group of people
gathered at a certain time and place for an event, or we may think of a worship
service that is either traditional or contemporary, formal or informal,
liturgical or non-liturgical. All of
those things are elements of worship, but worship itself is something bigger.
The word worship comes from an old
English word which means to ascribe worth to something. To worship something or someone is to engage
in a series of actions and attitudes that show that thing’s or that person’s
worth. In old English, one worshiped the
king by bowing in his presence. It was
understood that to worship the king meant something different, lower, than
worshiping God.
Of course, in modern English we use
the word worship only in reference to God.
God, and God alone, is the sole object and audience of our worship. Worship is never about our personal
preferences in music or style, but rather only about what is pleasing to
God. The good news is that God is pleased
with many kinds of worship.
I would like to offer you another
definition of worship: Worship is what the soul does when it is aware of the
presences of God. We know that God is
always present with us, but we are not always aware of God’s presence. The things we do in worship singing, praying,
preaching, are some ways that we can become aware of God’s presence. These are what Richard Foster, in his book The Celebration of Discipline, calls
“avenues to worship.” These things are
not worship itself, but they lead us to worship. We all have different things that help us
become aware of God’s presence and this is where different styles of worship
and music come in. We should all be
willing to experience different worship and music from time to time.
We should all gather for public
worship whenever we can, we need each other.
However, each of us needs to worship each day, throughout the day, by
becoming aware of God’s presence and doing those things that help make us aware
and keep us aware of his presence.
I would like to leave you this month
with some of the lyrics of the Michael W, Smith song “The Heart of Worship.”
When the music fades
All is stripped away
And I simply come
Longing just to bring
Something that's of worth
That will bless your heart
I'll bring you more than a song
For a song in itself
Is not what you have required
You search much deeper within
Through the way things appear
You're looking into my heart
I'm coming back to the heart of worship
And it's all about you,
It's all about you, Jesus
I'm sorry, Lord, for the thing I've made
it
When it's all about you,
It's all about you, Jesus
