WORSHIP

In the fourth and fifth chapters of Revelation, John is permitted through vision to see the throne of God. He says that a “door was opened into heaven” and what he sees is an astonishing sight. He describes God’s throne. Thunder and lightning are coming from the throne, telling us that this is a place of majesty and awesome glory.

“The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sits on the throne, and worship him that liveth forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne saying, Thou are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.” (Revelation 4:10-11)

Worship literally means acknowledging the worth of something or someone. It means recognizing and saying that something or someone is worthy of our praise. Arthur Oakman writes, “To recognize Deity as worthy of adoration, as demanding righteousness, as a redeeming God, and one of purpose in creation and then to come into his presence with self-dedication is the beginning of worship.”

When we begin to glimpse and understand the reality of God, our natural inclination and reaction should be to worship him. When that reaction is absent it is a sure sign that we have not as yet grasped who he is or what he has done for us especially in sending his only begotten son to die for our sins.

Worship is our exclamation of praise that rises to God on his throne from us, his creation, in acknowledgement of the triumph of Jesus the Lamb and Savior of all mankind. Our praise is expressed in our music and hymns, reading of scripture, our prayers, and our preaching. Every time we meet for worship, every ‘service” we hold, is an occasion to recognize and celebrate the whole story of creation and salvation.

It is an old adage. We become what we worship. When we gaze in awe, admiration, and wonder at something or someone, we soon take on the character of the object of our worship. We see in the world those that worship, money, recognition and power and it is easy to see what they become. There are also old and present day examples of those that choose to worship creation and not the creator.

What happens to us then when we gaze in awe, admiration and wonder at the creator of heaven and earth? We are already made in his image, but we still grow from grace to grace, and are more perfectly formed into his image and countenance. He blesses us.

One of the primary responsibilities of the church is to prepare places of worship and to extend invitations to come and worship the true God and his son Jesus Christ, the creator and redeemer. Worship should be at the very center of our living. We are called to love God with all our heart, might, mind and strength. It does matter that we learn more about who God is so that our worship becomes fuller and richer.

F.Henry Edwards has written that, “Worship is the distinctive concern of the church. If the art and practice of worship are lost, then all is lost. But if our private and social worship is sound and searching and creative as our Father intended it to be, then all our other deficiencies will, in time be overcome.”

Worship is personal and it is corporate. Both are vital and important. God is worthy of our private meditations, study, fasting and prayer and he is worthy of our gathering together. We should cultivate an active and personal faith as well as take advantage of the opportunities provided by the church to worship together in the fellowship of one another and his spirit. Our worship draws us into his presence and there is no greater blessing during our sojourn on earth that to be in the presence of God.

“And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne, and the beasts, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honor, and glory, and blessing. And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb forever and ever.” Revelations 5:11-13