Therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your spiritual worship.
Romans 12:1 HCSB
What is worship, really?
As one of M-Squad’s worship co-ordinaters, this is a question that’s been posed to me since training camp. The tasks associated with the position really aren’t overwhelming. I check in with my co-leader Val every other week and a couple of the other teams to see how worship is going, and we report to Arden back in Gainesville once a month about how worship is going with the whole squad. As we approach a debrief we help to plan full squad worship and sometimes we facilitate worship on our teams other times we empower others to lead. The ultimate task is to make sure everyone is taking intentional time to just worship the Lord together. In all this, I am growing in my own understanding. How I would answer that question? — What is worship really? Well, this is just a start and I hope to continue to develop my mind around this topic by the Lord’s direction, but..
Worship is “to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God”.
Worship is to assume a posture in our lives of sacrificially living, thereby we are holy and pleasing to God. We do all this by the grace God gives us through our portion of faith in Him who is the living sacrifice, Jesus. We really do this only “by the mercies of God”.
We know the Father delights in Jesus, because when Jesus was baptized the Father told Him (Mark 1:9-11). In the same way, we who live like Jesus by His mercies, the Father delights in. We are pleasing to Him when we join in with Jesus as His body presenting ourselves in love.
What is worship really?
It’s to present yourself to the Lord, trusting that what Jesus did as a sacrifice is enough while knowing that the Holy Spirit is alive and with you as you transform into the holy and pleasing to God person you were made to be.
Maybe as you read this you recognize that for you, worship seems to just be singing a couple songs before listening to some preacher or pastor talk about God. Maybe you have a different religion or set of ideas and worship is totally different for you and Jesus doesn’t fit in your picture of worship at all. Or maybe you’ve really never even engaged in a question like “What is worship really?” because until now it hasn’t been a priority. Maybe you’re just curious about God, so you’re reading this and think you don’t participate in worship.
That’s okay. I urge you like Paul to worship truly. God is worthy of your worship. All you have comes from Him to begin with. When you recognize Him as your relentless pursuer. When you recognize Him as a Father who loves you dearly. Your posture will change. You will worship. He chose you. Worship is really just choosing Him back for who He is. You do this with your life. With song. With shouts and dancing. By bowing down in humility. Worship takes many forms, but is starts with Jesus.
(Picture is of our team worshipping with watercolors. We had just sang two songs in Arabic/English with our ministry host and his family)
(This is a picture of Tyler I took while we practiced said Arabic/English songs)
(This is Hot Chocolate, because if it doesn’t make you worship the Lord… mhm)
“But what if Jesus isn’t a part of my life? Can I worship then?”
You do worship, but if it’s not our creator, the lover of our souls, is it worth your worship? Is it worth giving all your time and attention? Is it really worthy? Does what you worship satisfy you to your core despite what troubles come your way?
Truly, I’m still discovering what worshipping my Lord and Savior looks like. I know I worship Him, and He delights in me because He’s told me so over and over and not just in the Bible. He’s expanding my mind on what worship looks like. And again and again He tells me that He is delighting in my attempts to love Him back. He pours out His blessing on me. He reminds me of how He’s always loved me. He is directing me, and molding me. He is so trustworthy. So the more I give Him, the more freedom I’ve experienced. I’m leaving behind the things that hinder my pursuit of worshipping Him, and picking up the things that help. You’re invited to do the same
I’m here in North Africa, and the words of John Piper come to mind.
“Missions exist where worship doesn’t.”
– John Piper
I’m here worshipping in the way I do everything by the mercies of God. I’m praying for it to overflow into the community, and we are seeing doors open for the good news of Jesus and His Kingdom. For one story read my last blog, but there are more to come. Inshallah. For now:
Therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your spiritual worship.
Romans 12:1 HCSB
– Daniel
