The Nature of Worship

People are naturally worshippers.  It is what we do.  We can worship a sports team, significant other, pastime, celebrities or heroes...and the list goes on.

I think God created us to be worshippers.  It seems that our natural inclination is to find something we enjoy and worship it.  God has graciously allowed us the choice of who or what to worship.

I won't raise the question of whether or not we should worship God (for now at least).  I'm simply going to assume the answer is yes.

But even assuming that we are designed to worship God, how do we go about doing that?

I did a brief survey of "worship" in the Bible and found that there are several different ways or modes of worship.

1) Bowing in respect or reverence
2) Prayer
3) Sacrifice and/or Giving
4) Music (instrumental and vocal)
5) Fasting
6) Fixing your thoughts
7) Teaching/Learning

These are only some of the ways "worship" is used in Scripture.  But it got me thinking.  Just because these are the examples I find in God's Word, worship is by no means limited to the items on this list.

Now I want to be careful here.  I'm not implying that worship is what you make it or that you can approach God in worship on your own terms.  Just ask King Saul (I Samuel 13) or the Sons of Korah (Numbers 16).  But what I do want to think towards is how we can worship God unconventionally (for lack of a better term).

What I mean is this:  in an American context, we usually limit "worship" to what happens in a church during a Sunday morning service.

And while a church service should contain worship (see list above!), I'm extremely uncomfortable limiting this idea to an activity or even a place.

Here's my point.  I want you to find, or better yet, discover a different way that you can worship God. Jesus said He is looking for those who will worship Him in Spirit and in truth.  So those become our guidelines:  in Spirit, and in Truth.

What does that look like in your life?  Or maybe, what do you want that to look like in your life?

God is creative.  We're made in His image.  That means we're creative by nature.  I believe God designed us to use our unique gifts to display His glory like a mirror.  And when we do that...we worship.

I like to write.  Short stories.  Poems.  Free verse.  I'm not saying its any good, and most often I don't even share it with others.  But its a natural form of expression for me.  When I am being creative and writing, it seems worshipful.  Like I'm doing (part of) what God made me to do.

Eric Liddell, an Olympic runner, once said “I believe God made me for a purpose, but he also made me fast!  And when I run I feel his pleasure.”

So what's your thing?

How can you use your gifts in worship?  How do we blend our gifts to worship together??

Let's talk about it.