Seven Things I've Learned About Worship

Worship is natural and everyone worships. The object of their worship may be different, but it is clear that worship is part of our makeup. Although there are those who worship created things, we are instructed to only worship the creator.

Here are some things I’ve learned about worship.
1. Worship Needs Preparation
The Mind needs to be readied to worship. If you’re looking for a personal time of worship, make sure to find a quiet place for you to concentrate.
When you go to church or small group, get there early. Allow your heart, mind, and body to be still. That’s one way for you to be ready, rather than rushing to worship.
The Heart has to have the single focus for God. Prepare your heart by removing distractions. Remove every distraction that draws our focus away from God.
The Body needs to be separated for God. Keep your body separated for God and Him only. It is the temple of the Holy Spirit.
2. Worship Has an Audience of One
Whenever we gather, God has already come. He has been expecting you. He longs to have your attention. You already have his.
Only God needs to be pleased. Seek to please no other. Because you are his child, he is already pleased. As a father, when my children call, I often answer their call with a smile. I am already pleased with them just because they are my children.
Our Father needs to be our entire focus. What about other things we focus on? They are not a focus when we focus on the Father.
3. Worship is the End, Not a Means to an End
We worship to worship. Just that. No other agenda.
As a pastor, I would like the people to be focused and ready for my sermons. But that is not the purpose of worship.
So why is worship the end? And not a means to an end? Simply because God is worthy of our worship.
4. Worship Needs to be Personal and Corporate
Both forms of worship are important. We value worship as a community because God has called us into community. The church as the body of Christ can only live when the parts are together. Therefore we worship as small communities representing the greater community of the Church of Jesus.
We worship individually because each person needs to make the decision to follow Jesus. That decision is individual within the corporate context of commitment. God will speak to us personally as we spend time with Him.
5. Worship is Life/Life is Worship
Worship is more than an event. It is life itself. We live for God and to God.
After all, God was the one who gave us life, breath, and everything to sustain us. So we live our lives as worship to God.
6. Worship should be natural, from within
True worship originates from the heart. It is a response to God and to life. It is a response to God out of thankfulness. It is a response to life as the only means to make sense of life.
Worship that originates from anywhere other than within us. becomes a performance. Then it is no longer worship.
7. Worship is best in the midst of pain
There are some who refrain from worship due to the intense amount of pain in their lives. They run from God out of confusion or guilt.
But we can run to our heavenly Father as a child runs in pain to the parents any time of the day. The immediate reaction of the child is to run to and not away from the parents.
Go to Him. Let Him shower His love on you when you hurt. There you will find rest in His embrace.
Your Turn
Join the discussion and add your thoughts on worship. What have you learned about worship?
Please share briefly in the comments.
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