Why should we worship?

Worship: “The feeling or expression of reverence and adoration for a deity.”

(Oxford English Dictionary)

”Jesus answered, ‘It is written: “Worship the Lord your God and serve him only”

(Luke 4:8 - New International Version)

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God – this is your true and proper worship.”

(Romans 12:1 - New International Version)

We live in an age of celebrity, when people with little discernable talent become massively famous, invading the social consciousness, seemingly for no other reason than they manage to be exposed in the media (often to an alarming extent). They are revered and adored by millions…

Why do so many get drawn into the ‘cult of celebrity’?

“It must be our breeding 
Call us like cattle 
We come stampeding 
To the new romantics 
Everybody wants a love titanic 
and Tiger Beat keeps us on cue 

It's true 
We were born to worship someone
It's true, I do”

These lyrics from the ‘All Star United’ song ‘Superstar’ go some way to explaining the phenomenon. We were born to worship someone, but unfortunately, too many people choose idolatry…not worship.

Humankind was created by God with an inbuilt knowledge and desire to worship something greater than ourselves. That something greater is God. We were created with a God-shaped space inside us which needs to be filled by the Holy Spirit. We have an inbuilt desire for an intimate relationship with God which only He provides.

When people are not focused on God they search for something else to guide them, to look up to and follow. The ‘cult of celebrity’ makes this abundantly clear. Yet ‘worship’ of celebrity is totally one-sided - nothing is received in return, except a fleeting thrill which gossip and insight into another person’s life sometimes brings.

'Worship' of people is idolatry - therefore unsatisfying. Perhaps it's why celebrities come and go with such regularity, fading into obscurity once their brief time in the spotlight passes.

A Real Relationship

“Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshippers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshippers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshippers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”

(John 4:23-24 - New International Version)

True worship is given to God. We should surrender our own will, recognise salvation comes through Him and thank Him for everything He has done. God doesn't need our worship though; he’s not a shallow celebrity whose status depends on adoration. God seeks out those who will worship Him because He wants to have a relationship with us. It is a two-way relationship, with love both given and received. God wants to be with us and loves us!

God created us to have a relationship with Him and a way that relationship happens is through worship. Worship is why God created the universe.

Our worship and relationship with God are that important to Him!

“We love because he first loved us.”

(1 John 4:19 - New International Version)

We have an inbuilt desire to love and be loved. It’s a reflection of the love that God has shown for us, and why we are instructed by Jesus to love each other. Likewise, we are instructed to worship because it shows how much we love Him. When we worship God, we receive so much more in return. The Holy Spirit brings gifts and abilities far beyond our own.

“To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.”

(1 Corinthians 12:8-11 - New International Version)

Worship - not just for Sunday

A real relationship with God should be a 24/7 commitment. In Ephesians 5:30-31 the church (believers in Christ) is referred to as the bride of Christ. Our dedication to God should be like marriage vows: a declaration of love; a statement of intent; an oath of faithfulness - all of which are unending.

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God – this is your true and proper worship.”

Romans 12:1 - New International Version)

When we spend time with God in worship we become better people. When, in sacrificing ourselves to Him and allowing our own desires to fade away, keeping focus on the plans that God has for the world, the Holy Spirit can work powerfully in us.

When worshipping in this way we develop the fruits of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, humility, and self-control. Worship prepares us for eternal life in heaven with God and Christ.

How and When?

Think about how often we talk with loved ones. Strive to spend more time with God. Prayer is a conversation with God. He listens to every word and loves to speak to us. In prayer we should always remember to show gratitude for what He has done and appreciate how amazing He is as an act of worship.

Singing and music are a hugely important part of worship. The Psalms and other praises of Israel in the Old Testament were set to music and sung as acts of worship. Music and singing can help us focus solely on God and exclude other thoughts and feelings that interfere with the intimacy that worship creates. It helps to remove ourselves from our worldly situations and maintain focus on God.

It doesn't just have to happen on a Sunday at church.

We should also remember that worship is necessary in bad times as well as the good. In times of pain and suffering we should worship God. He doesn't become any less good when life is hard. It's an act of sacrificing ourselves in worship. 

After King David’s son died, the first thing David did was to worship God - he knew through worship he would find peace and comfort:

“Then David got up from the ground. After he had washed, put on lotions and changed his clothes, he went into the house of the Lord and worshipped.”

(2 Samuel 12:20 - New International Version)

Picture what the world would be like if everyone were to worship God, all the time, in everything they did. Imagine how amazing the world could be.

(from Psalm 16:11 - Good News Translation)

“Your presence fills me with joy and brings me pleasure forever.”