This insight is part of a series that questions the value of a Quiet Time, Holy Communion, Christian Service and Witness.
Christian Worship
Christian worship is a gift from God that lifts our souls and minds to reflect on the goodness of God as our Creator, Redeemer and Friend. There are many forms of worship that individually and collectively reflect our love, devotion and worth to God.
May we start with the Anglican Gloria in Praise to God.
Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace, good will to all people. We praise you, we bless you, we worship you, we glorify you, we give thanks to you for your great glory. Lord King, heavenly God, Father, almighty: Lord, the only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ and Holy Spirit.
Thank you pixabay.com
Worship may involve various actions such as times of silence and contemplation. Confession and the affirmation of sins forgiven as shared in Holy Communion. Individual and collective said prayers. The public reading of Scripture and individual and communal singing and chanting. Such actions take place in a formal or informal church building and will incorporate traditional or contemporary styles of services.
Old Testament
In the Old Testament ancient singing and worship included the use of various musical instruments as found in Psalm 98 as well times when there was no musical accompaniment and any singing was acapella. Worship also included dancing and various forms of sacrifices that sought to appease a Holy God and it represented gifts of love and thanksgiving to God.
Moses, Miriam and the Israelites in Exodus 15: 1-18 sang The Song at the Sea that remembered the miracle of being delivered from the Red Sea and Pharaoh. There are many other incidences in the Old Testament that references various acts of worship and sacrifices. In the book of Psalms, which numbers 150, there are many single and collective acts of worship that exist for the encouragement of personal and community faith.
New Testament
In the New Testament Jesus lived on earth separately from the Father and Holy Spirit but spent many hours in private contemplation and discussion with the Triune God as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Jesus participated in the Jewish Passover and he taught and encouraged his disciples how to worship, pray and live a holy life that included acts of service and witness.
Jesus worshipped in the Synagogues and at Passover – Thank you pixabay,com
Jesus initiated the Lord’s Supper from its roots in the Passover that included many liturgical prayers of thanksgiving and worship to the Lord. In many churches the Lord’s Supper is central to church worship as a result of Jesus’s sacrificial death and resurrection.
Other forms of Worship
Outside the Christian faith there are different forms of worship that includes those of other faiths. There are those who follow and construct their own gods and idols and many people just want to continually worship and love themselves. Both ancient and modern worlds have always pursued money, materialism, personal pleasure and excessive living.
At this point I think it is important to ask a few personal questions?
- What and who do you love above all else?
- How does that love dictate to your life and living?
- It is a fact that in the context of worship we are who we worship!
Temptation
During the temptation of Jesus in the wilderness, the Devil asked Jesus to worship him and in return he would be gifted with power to rule over all the world. Jesus knew where his loyalties were and responded from the scriptures “You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve” (Matthew 4: 1-11).
So wherever our hearts are, there is where our love and focus will be. Jesus said that all believers need to seek first the kingdom of God and all other things will be given to them. (Matthew 6: 33). Such wisdom and provision is in stark contrast to how the Devil tried to persuade and deceive Jesus.
In attempting to think about the value and importance of Christian worship, we note that if we do not follow the Lord we will not worship the Lord! Instead we will love and follow other idols and gods.
If we doubt and lack trust in the Lord on a daily basis, we will not be keen to trust and worship the Lord. Instead we will continue to complain about all that we are not happy with before the Lord or in spite of the Lord.
Psalm 135
For a few more moments I want to look at Psalm 135 for it sums up in a small way some of my thoughts about the purpose and value of worship. The Psalm begins with the refrain Hallelujah – Praise the Lord. Hear all God’s servants who dwell in the house of the Lord, seek to listen and experience the personal presence of the Lord.
In praising the Lord we affirm God’s character and creation. The Lord had chosen Jacob and Israel and he chooses each one of us for his own good pleasure.
However, the Lord is not afraid to bring judgment upon us. His intention is to bring us back to him. He wants us to give up all false gods and idols that are only created by humans and have no power in themselves compared to the Almighty and powerful God.
Many other Psalms encourage us to ’extol the Lord at all times; his praise will always be on my lips as echoed in Psalm 34 and ‘Every day I will praise you and extol your name forever and ever’ as found in Psalm 145.
Angel Wing Feathers Thanks pixabay.com
In the book of Revelation, the Apostle John in Chapters 5 and 19 for example, records how worship, judgment and blessing are bestowed on the living and the dead with angels and individuals all worshiping the Lord continually.
As a litmus test, think about how you are experiencing personal and corporate worship at the present? May we refer back to those initial questions again and I pray that it will inspire you to be encouraged and reignited, to enjoy a personal relationship and life with the Lord in and outside his church.
- What and who do you love above all else?
- How does that love dictate to your life and living?
- It is a fact that in the context of worship we are who we worship!
Graham
Selah: (Pause to think calmly on what has just been read) and check out A Time to Worship on exploretoinspire.uk
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