To some, worship may look like the 20-minute prelude to the sermon every Sunday morning. Or maybe it’s a synonym for the gathering of believers: “I’ll see you on the worship service.” “I’m not staying for worship.” “I’ll meet you simply after worship.”
But worship just isn’t confined to music and singing, neither is it restricted to a constructing or gathering of the saints. Worship is something you and I do to esteem and amplify the worth-ship of God.
Psalm 34:3 exhorts: “Oh, amplify the Lord with me, and allow us to exalt his title collectively!” (ESV).
It isn’t only a suggestion, it’s a command—and it’s completely important if we’re to stay an obedient and surrendered life as a follower of Jesus. We will amplify or enlarge the Lord’s title once we incorporate into our on a regular basis lives methods of honoring Him, affirming His value, and praising Him for Who He’s, not simply what He’s achieved.
Whereas gratitude is thanking God for what He’s achieved, reward and worship is adoring Him for Who He’s. Listed below are seven causes worship is crucial to the Christian life:
1. Worship retains us heavenly-minded.
Colossians 3:2 instructs: “Set your minds on issues which can be above, not on issues which can be on earth.” Worship focuses our minds—and hearts—on eternity. It reminds us we’re not of this world—we have now an everlasting dwelling with Jesus, and that’s why we are able to really feel we don’t belong right here on this earth, particularly when our priorities and convictions are these of Christ’s and that units us at odds with the remainder of this world. Jesus stated the world will hate us because it hated Him as a result of He has chosen us out of the world to be known as His (John 15:18-20). So, when you’re feeling that hate, you’re probably residing in a manner that’s rubbing others the flawed manner. You possibly can preserve a heavenly focus and keep in mind to Whom and the place you belong if you find yourself in fixed worship of your King. It additionally retains you from attempting to please, slot in with, or conform to this world (Romans 12:2). Worship your Lord, please Him, and He’ll preserve you in fixed contact together with your function for being right here and will provide you with pleasure and peace whilst you stay obedient to Him.
2. Worship retains us centered on God, not ourselves.
We will so simply be all about ourselves. Our self-love mentality could make us imagine we exist for ourselves. But we exist to glorify God. To deal with God’s worth-ship is to get ourselves out of the image and let Him take the highlight. John the Baptist stated this about Jesus: “He should enhance, however I need to lower” (John 3:30). That’s what worship does…it magnifies God and shrinks us, accurately. In Eugene Peterson’s The Message, John 3:30 is translated this fashion: “That is the assigned second for [Jesus] to maneuver into the middle, whereas I slip off to the sidelines.” Worship places the highlight on God and locations us again within the humble place to develop spiritually.
3. Worship prioritizes our hearts and lives.
One other facet of worship is giving of your time, skills, and treasure. That positively prioritizes our life as we give our money and time to what’s most vital to us. While you decide to provide to God first your tithes and choices after being paid every month, it prioritizes your spending, budgeting, and stewardship of all that He has given you. While you give of your time first to Him in prayer and studying of His Phrase, it prioritizes your day in figuring out Who and what’s most vital to you. In Matthew 6:19-20, Jesus commanded His followers to retailer up treasures in heaven, not right here on earth. And by worshipping Him with the primary and better of all you will have (together with your time, cash, and talents), you’re displaying Him He’s at the start in your coronary heart.
Picture Credit score: © Getty Photographs/Jantanee Rungpranomkorn
4. Worship slows us down and reminds us of what issues most.
Certainly one of my favourite worship actions is my day by day stroll round a small lake close to my dwelling. I can’t assist however acknowledge and adore God after I’m exterior among the many fantastic thing about His creation—away from expertise, cell gadgets, and something with a display or “sign.” It’s then that we are able to tune into His indicators—the mild breeze, the best way He elements the clouds and sends the solar’s rays to shine by means of, the track of a hen, the rustle of leaves, and the reminder that “The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those that dwell therein” (Psalm 24:1 ESV).
Getting out in nature reminds us of our function. Based on the Westminster Catechism, man’s chief finish is to glorify God, and to get pleasure from Him endlessly. Which means we have been created to worship. We’re wired for it. Being out in the great thing about His creation and worshipping Him makes me consider the Luke 19 account when Jesus triumphantly rode into Jerusalem on a younger colt and the Pharisees demanded He rebuke His followers for waving their palm branches and crying out reward to Him, their king. Jesus stated in the event that they remained silent “the very stones would cry out.” He should be praised and we’re those created to do it. Don’t depart your God-given calling and function to the rocks!
5. Worship is a witness to the world of whom we love.
All of us worship (or serve) one thing. Cash. Fame. Possessions. Individuals. Social Standing. Substances. Self. Jesus stated, “You can’t serve God and wealth (Matthew 6:24 NASB, emphasis added). As a result of worship is ingrained in us, and all of us worship one thing, taking the time to admire His magnificence in all He has created reminds us that He—not, possessions, fame, social standing, substances, or any created factor—is worthy of our adoration and devotion. He alone is our best possession, worthy of all of my worship—and yours. King David, who was described by God as “a person after My coronary heart” (Acts 13:22 NASB), sang: “Lord, you alone are my portion and my cup” (Psalm 16:5 NIV).
6. Worship readies us for what’s to return.
It’s important that we be in worship form once we enter eternity. None of us is aware of precisely when our time on earth will expire. Whether or not we depart this earth and enter eternity by what we name an “accident” or “pure causes”—it’s all in accordance with God’s timing, not ours. Due to this fact, we wish to be in worship form by the point we enter God’s presence, not wishing we’d spent extra earthly hours making ready for our heavenly dwelling. Psalm 100:4 tells us: “Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with reward! Give due to him; bless his title!” That needs to be objective of ours for a way we enter eternity, as nicely. In case you are all the time worshipping, you probably is perhaps doing simply that whenever you immediately, unexpectedly, enter the presence of God.
Scripture tells us we’ll be worshipping God for an eternity, so I would like that to be second nature—if not first—after I get to heaven, don’t you?
And that’s the place company worship is available in. Whereas we are able to worship individually (our coronary heart connecting with God’s), there’s additionally a dynamic and needed element of worshiping with different believers. Company worship contains accountability, encouragement, and the lifting up of each other as we develop collectively in unity. Jesus stated our unity, and united worship, with different believers can be proof of our love for Him. There’s a purpose the world seems at “the church” in another way. Be part of an area, rising, thriving physique of Christ. It’s important to rising spiritually and maturing in your religion and unity with different believers. Philippians 2:2 tells us we’re to be of the identical thoughts, keep the identical love, united in spirit, intent on one function. Company worship is an enormous a part of that.
7. Worship feeds our souls.
Ever marvel how simple it’s to change into complacent when you haven’t gathered with different believers in fairly a while? Have you ever seen it’s typically troublesome to seek out something to be pleased about in case you are not frequently in His Phrase and being reminded that the whole lot you will have has been given to you? Do you ever lack religious vitality and focus? That’s as a result of similar to the human physique wants meals, water, and sleep, the soul wants worship with a view to be refreshed, refueled, and re-energized. Give worship to the One who deserves all of it. It’s the one manner you’ll develop in obedience and intimacy with Him.
For extra on worshipping the Maker of your coronary heart, see Cindi’s books, When Girls Lengthy for Relaxation, and God’s Whispers to a Girl’s Coronary heart.
Picture Credit score: ©GettyImages/Tom Merton
Initially revealed March 19, 2025.
