What’s going on everyone!! This week, I decided to take a less abrasive topic, and just really go into the question ‘what is worship?’. Worship is so much more than the lifting of hands during church services on Sunday. Worship delves deep into our hearts, and even influences how we live our lives on a daily basis.
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:19-21). This verse sets the foundation of worship. Basically, whatever we put our focus on or whatever we give our hearts desire to, that is where we put the treasure. For instance, I love playing basketball. I can easily begin to worship the game when I put my identity in it, and I put basketball on the pedestal of my life. What do we put on the highest place of our hearts? Maybe it is a relationship; maybe it is an old habit we want to kick; maybe it could be shoes or clothes (I am guilty of this myself).
None of those things are bad in themselves, but when we put our hearts and treasure and satisfaction in those things, that is where idolatry happens. Our treasure needs to be aligned with Christ, and the power to overcome obstacles that hinder us in this life. Worship is a lifestyle and heartiest. That means that we shouldn’t limit our worship to just raising our hands during church, but also it extends to being compassionate to others, even to people who are very different from us. Worship also looks like spending intentional, intimate time with God to see what His heart for us is. It is so easy to worship things that bring us temporary satisfaction. It is so much more worth it, however, to set our hearts and minds on things that will have impact on our destiny.
Not everyone worships the same. Let me make this clear, we are in no place to judge people on how they worship. God has made us all individually and wonderfully. So, if someone sits or stands, lifts their hands or not, stop getting upset that they do things differently. As long as they connect with God, that is what matters. What we do in church needs to expand out to the world we live in. Again, worship to God even looks like meeting up with someone and being a genuine person. It’s not always about being spiritually deep and theological. Be a person. Love people. Worship with our lives.
Much Love,
Ryan W.
