SetApart1

I think worship is overused… okay let me clarify. It’s not wrong and it’s not that I don’t like it, or that I don’t love it. The exact opposite is true. But “worship” has become commercialized. And yet again, do not misunderstand and please do not think that I have the corner market on defining what worship is. I am technically not a “main” worship leader; I have only been involved in some area of the ministry. But I have thought and felt that what worship truly is, has been lost in the marketability of worship.

Years ago when I first became a Christian I only listened to secular (non-Christian) music. It was good; it was full of talented people. And when I started to go to church I thought, “There is NO way I am listening to that Christian stuff”! And mind you I was a young Christian, but I do not remember the opportunity to buy a lot of “worship music”. I had one cassette of the worship leader from my church and that was it. But now there is a whole genre of worship, different styles, different “worship leaders” even Time Life has a commercial on it. But what I think about is do we, do I, remember why we buy this? Why the newest David Crowder or Chris Tomlin gets us ready to hit that purchase button on iTunes on Tuesday morning?

God says in His word that we are to “offer our bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God(Romans 12), which is your reasonable service (or act of worship).  Worship is not a genre, it’s a reasonable act! When I think of reasonable I think logical. It’s a logical response but to go back further than that, what would trigger that response?  Chris Tomlin? David Crowder? It’s GOD! It is reasonable to offer ourselves to Him, to worship Him. That may come by way of a song or a cd or in a church service. But that is not the only definition of it.

I think worship is a proper term, I just think it got lost in the shuffle. Let me add verse 2 from Romans 12. “And do not be conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”
When you are “offering” your self, your heart and mind “reasonably”, we will be transformed. We are changing, we are less like the world, more like Him. THIS is good and acceptable. It is the perfect will of God.

Worship whether in song or in deed should be life changing. Maybe it’s as simple as your heart being prepared for a service, or comfort in a difficult time, or just a way of rejoicing in your salvation! I think any or all of these will not only draw you near to Him, but it is pleasing to Him. Worship to me is not just singing or listening to my favorite “worship leader” its life changing, it drawing me nearer to the Lord. It is giving Him my sacrifice of praise because HE is worthy!

“Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to His name”-Hebrews 13:15

Worship is something we can continually give to Him, and we should continually give this to Him. Without getting theological, when I see the word “sacrifice” at first you think BIG sacrifices. Abraham and Isaac, lambs being slaughtered, Jesus Himself. But I was also thinking of us. What about sacrificing watching that TV Show to sit at His feet, to miss that night out with your friends to attended a night of worship, or the sacrifice of getting up that extra half hour to engage in the worship on a Sunday morning? Or what about sacrificing our feelings or lack thereof to hear the words in the worship song and giving Him the praise though are hearts aren’t in it?

Let us continually offer this to Him, with the fruit of our lips. With our bodies as a living sacrifice. I mean it is a reasonable service!

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