When I say the word worship, what do you think of? What is the first thing that comes to your mind? Maybe we think of music at a church service, or we get an image of someone bowing down and worshipping a god?
I want to share the Hebrew and Greek meanings of worship. Worship is a verb, and the Hebrew meaning of worship is to prostrate oneself, admire, and adore. In Greek, it has the same meaning— adoration, devotion, and also prostration.
When I think about worship, music is what I immediately think of. And before the world race, I didn’t know that worship could be more than just singing to the Lord. I was reading a sermon on worship and Travis Johnson, the pastor, said “Music is just a VEHICLE that takes us to the place of worship.” We need to know that we were created to worship, and it’s not about how you do it, but who you worship.
So, what is worship?
Worship is a response to God. 1 John 4:19 says “We love Him because He first loved us.” We respond to his mercy and grace and sovereignty in worship. Worship is GIVING, not GETTING.
Worship is a response to hardship. In chapter 1 of Job, Satan tests him. Job loses all his servants, his animals, and his children all at once. After being delivered this news, in verse 20-21 we read that “Then Job stood up, tore his robe, and shaved his head. He fell to the ground and worshiped, saying: Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will leave this life. The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.”
Worship is focused on the Lord, not on pleasing others: In 2 Samuel 6:16-22 David is leaping and dancing before the Lord. He says in verse 21-22 “I will dance before the Lord, and I will dishonor myself and humble myself even more.” He worships freely, completely unashamed, and not caring who sees or what they say even though he was hated for how he worshipped.
Luke 10:27 says “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind.” Showing God your love and affection can be through art or writing if that is your gifting. You can talk to him while you are cleaning or meditating or walking down the street. Loving him with all your heart, soul, strength, and mind is worshipping him. That is so many things outside of music. It’s not about how you do it, but who you worship.
I have discovered that I really like to write, and poetry is one way I like to express that. I wrote a poem about worship and how even nature worships God, and I want to share it again with you guys.
Each tree branch. Arms raised in surrender, praising the creator of the world. With every breeze of the wind, each twig bowing to the king.
Flowers. Bright, vibrant colors barely even brushing the surface of the extravagance of heaven.
The open skies. Never ending. Day and night- a new day and a new night, each submitting to the command of the one who sits on the throne.
Water. Dancing down, rushing and roaring as it falls. Raining over the earth like Gods mercy and grace- bringing life.
So, worship is singing and dancing. It’s also writing and painting. It’s exercising and cleaning. It’s meditating and fasting. There are so many styles to express your worship but whatever you do, do it for the glory of the Lord (Colossians 3:23).
And then I just want to end this all with a quote by William Temple, a man I know nothing about but I just really liked what he said. He said “Worship is the submission of all our nature to God. It is the quickening of the conscience by his holiness; the nourishment of the mind with his truth; the purifying of imagination by his beauty; the opening of the heart to his love; the surrender of will to his purpose—all this gathered up in adoration, the most selfless emotion of which our nature is capable.”
With love,
Hals
