True Worship

True Worship:  

“So then, my friends, because of God's great mercy to us I appeal to you: Offer yourselves as a living sacrifice to God, dedicated to his service and pleasing to him. This is the true worship that you should offer.” (Romans 12:1). 

The style of Christian worship varies from church to church. In some churches today, they sing hymns to an old pipe organ. In other churches they worship God with singing and shouting, clapping and dancing, with electric guitars, drums and pianos. But the essence of true worship is not in style of music, nor is it even restricted to what happens in your church on Sunday mornings. The appeal in Romans 12:1 is to offer our lives as a living sacrifice to Him, dedicated to His service. True worship is an attitude of the heart – it is a lifestyle. This is what Jesus meant when He said, “But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him.”  (John 4:23) 

There is a worship song written by Matt Redman called, “The Heart of Worship”. The words to the song eloquently depict what I am trying to say.  

When the music fades, all is stripped away, and I simply come

Longing just to bring something that’s of worth that will bless your heart

I’ll bring you more than a song, for a song in itself it not what you have required

You search much deeper within through the way things appear, you’re looking into my heart

I’m coming back to the heart of worship, and it’s all about you – it’s all about you Jesus

I’m sorry Lord for the thing that I’ve made it, when it’s all about you, it’s all about you, Jesus

King of endless worth, no one could express how much you deserve

Thought I’md weak and poor, all I have is yours, every single breath.

The Heart of Worship © 2002 Kingsway’s Thankyou Music 

As Christians, we are called to live a life of worship to our Creator, our Lord, our Saviour. We are God’s chosen people – His very own possession. He wants us to show others the goodness of God, because we have been called out of darkness into His wonderful light. (1 Peter 2:9-10). Psalm 150 says, “Praise the Lord. Praise God in His sanctuary; Praise Him in His mighty firmament. Praise Him for His mighty acts; Praise Him according to His excellent greatness. Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet; Praise Him with the lute and harp. Praise Him with the timbrel and dance; Praise Him with stringed instruments and flutes. Praise Him with loud cymbals; Praise Him with clashing cymbals. Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord.”  

I want to leave you with this challenge – if you’re breathing (and you must be, or you wouldn’t be reading this), then praise the Lord. It’s good to praise Him when you go to church, but worship Him also in your home, in you car, and everywhere you go. Praise Him because of who He is, and what He’s done – He is the Lord, so let’s offer our lives as living sacrifices to Him in worship and praise. Every time you show love to someone – loving, accepting, forgiving, or caring for another person – that too is an act of worship that brings God honour and glory. This is true worship.

Pastor Chris Jordan
www.beausejourchurch.ca