Spiritual Disciplines: Worship
Read John 4: 1-42, especially note vss 21-24
Read Matthew 22:34-40
What is the most important task for us as Christians to do? It is to love God. And there are many ways to do this. One of those ways is to participate in worship.
Actually, we practice worship all the time. We may not use the word “worship,” but we practice it.
For example, how many of us have spent money on clothing such as shirts, hats, sweaters, etc. with a certain sports team logo on it? How many of us have endured inclement weather to participate in our favorite activity – whether it is playing golf, shopping, or eating out?
I am not advocating becoming doomy and gloomy. God wants us to enjoy life, abundantly and freely. However, whatever is most important to us is what we worship; whether we call it that or not.
Read Romans 1:20-25. What do you think is Paul’s definition of worship? Do we experience idol worship in the 21st century? What are the consequences of not worshiping God?
There are two forms of worship: public and private. Public worship or corporate worship is when we gather with others to participate in activities that express our devotion and loyalty to God. Worship is acknowledging that God is God and we are not. Check out Psalm 100:3.
In corporate worship there are general several kinds of activities that help us express our devotion to God. What ones can you think of? Which ones are most meaningful and helpful to you? How does the presence of others around you enhance your corporate worship of God?
In private worship we express our devotion and commitment to God in personal and perhaps even confidential ways. Some enjoy listening to music or reading inspirational material or pondering a wondrous scene or moments of quiet prayer and meditation.
Healthy worship incorporates both the private and public. Without the public our encounters with God can become very narrowly limited to what we think, feel, or sense. We may miss things others could help us see and experience. Without the private encounter of worship, our expression of devotion could become shallow and fake. It is an appearance we maintain without any depth or texture to it.
Before coming to Sulphur Grove, I served in an administrative position that did not require me to preach or lead public worship every Sunday. I quickly discovered that my own experience of public worship began Saturday night and continued through Sunday morning. How I encountered God’s presence in the worship service was directly proportional to my preparation to meet God.
If I did not prepare, it was easy to fall into the trap of criticizing how worship was conducted. It was part of my job to critique and evaluate pastors. On the other hand, worship is not about performance. It is about encounter; specifically encountering God’s Spirit. When I intentionally went to bed on Saturday night at a time so I would be refreshed and awake for worship, I encountered God’s Spirit in ways I would not have noticed if I was groggy and sleepy. That was especially true if I had to awaken at a very early hour to travel a long distance to attend a particular church.
I also noticed how important it was for me to begin praying first thing Sunday morning as I awakened. My prayers often went like this: “Lord, where will I see your face this morning? Where will I see your hand at work? When will you speak to me? Help me to hear the Word you have for me today.”
To be honest, some churches have perfectly awful corporate worship. Sometimes it is because it was not well-prepared. Sometimes I felt that way because it featured activities that I did not enjoy. But even then, God moved in wondrous ways because my prayer tuned me not into the performance of worship, but into the encounter with God’s Spirit.
What are some ways you prepare for corporate worship?
Would preparation for private worship be any less important? Is there a space or posture or time you devote to worship? Is there particular music you use or other resources most helpful to you?
I mentioned this in my sermon last Sunday. Current trend spotters are reporting that our lifestyles in the 21st century are lived in bursts of incredible pace and change. It may be stuff at work, or in the family, or in the neighborhood, or at school or wherever your life takes you. Likely, it is several of them happening all at once.
Consequently, moments of slow time – time to think, to feel, to ponder, to dream – are regarded as luxurious as a leisurely bubble bath. We do not often allow ourselves the privilege to sit and worship because there is too much that needs to be done. However, worship is not just to humor God because God is bored. Worship are moments of reconnecting ourselves with God and with reality. The luxury of a few moments daily to put everything in its proper place will help us stay healthier spiritually, mentally, physically, and socially. It will also likely help us sort out the important from the simply urgent.
Why do you think Jesus snuck away so frequently to pray alone? Sometimes he snuck away when there were many waiting to see him and receive the blessings of his healing. But Jesus knew he had a larger mission to fulfill. The solitude of private worship helped him stay focused on his ultimate mission.
What are some of the habits of worship – private and public – that work well for you? Do you have some ideas that may help someone else? Take a moment to share your thoughts by clicking on “Leave a Comment.”
