Let Us Worship

Today there is so much buzz about worship. Who has the best? Which style is right? What difference does the music make? How many do you need to be on the team? With instruments or without? The questions are infinite. While we may not find the exact same questions with answers in the Bible, we can find principles to guide our choices in worship. Many of them can be found in the Book of Psalms.

Webster's defines worship as reverence, admiration, love, and expressing worthiness or excellence of character. Simply put, worship is a service given to the worthy.

Psalms chapter 95 extends an invitation to worship. The very first verse describes worship as a joyful noise unto the rock of our salvation. Verses 3 - 5 declare the worthiness of the Lord, providing the very incentive for worship. One posture for worship is given in verse six.
"O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord our maker."

"Let us." What a powerful phrase! It implies the basic platform of worship in that it means: WE WANT TO..... Every expression of worship can be prefaced with those words. Without a sincere desire to worship, the words are meaningless. Preferences and postures should not be topics of debate. We are each unique to God, so it follows that each person would have a personal way of worshiping Him. He is not so much interested in our style as He is the motivation of our hearts. He is looking for a people that will cry out, LET US!


Romans 12:1 1Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. NIV

The American Standard Version reads: I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service.

Spiritual service, not church service. Your duties in and to the church are not always spiritual, neither are they always performed in a spiritual way. I believe the Apostle Paul is talking about our service to and for the Spirit of God. This is a willing performance out of sincere gratitude for the mercies of the Lord. It is our bodies that we should offer. Our body, soul, spirit, mind, will, all that is included within the confines of our body. He desires that we be living sacrifices in other words ACTIVELY giving of ourselves. Worship is not being a passive participant in a church service.

Additional postures for worship such as kneeling, bowing, and being prostrate are noted in the Psalms, as are various components of the worship experience. Instruments such as the harp, tambourine, lyre, flute, and cymbals are mentioned. Examples are given of individual worship as well as congregational settings. Even the creatures of earth and the sea itself are called upon to worship. The verse that keeps coming to mind; "Let everything that hath breath, praise ye the Lord." Praise, yes that is a different subject yet fully intertwined with worship. Perhaps another day we will deal with praise.

Bottom line: We were created by and for God, to do as He wills, and to do it willingly. We have so much to be thankful for, so many reasons to praise Him, so many things He has done on our behalf. He is everything we need. He is the great I AM. When we speak of all that He is, we are worshiping Him. With John I say, He is worthy to receive all glory, honor, power and praise. Make it a point today to worship Him. Honor Him with extravagant love and extreme devotion. Lavish on Him the words that are reserved for those deserving of the highest accolades. When we truly come to know Him we can not help but worship Him.
Do you know Him today? Will you worship Him today? With the Psalmist I say: LET US!--PT2006