What is Worship, Exactly?

“So, you have those moments in life that stop you in your tracks. It could be the birth of a baby. It could be a tragedy. It could be a cyber Monday deal- ok, maybe not a cyber Monday deal. I saw this and it literally made me think so deeply, and I wanted you to hear this: worship is the act of committing one’s entire life to Jesus. It’s just not a song in church; it’s just not opening the Bible every morning; it’s literally your whole life. And if I were to look at my life, I don’t know that I can say my life is a life of worship, because I’m selfish. Because I don’t go to Jesus for every single decision. I’m not sure there’s an easy fix for committing one’s entire life to Jesus through worship. But I think it does start one decision at a time, one step at a time.” ~Todd Stach

What do you think of first when you hear the word “worship”? Do you think of worship music? Or a worship service? If so, I want to encourage you to think a little deeper about the meaning of true worship. Jesus points out in Matthew 15.8-9, “These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship is a farce, for they teach man-made ideas as commands from God.” So it’s entirely possible to look like you worship God from the outside looking in, but to be far from God in your heart. That’s a terrifying idea, but rest assured that God sees our hearts and desires a true relationship with us.

Like Todd says, there’s no easy fix for living a life of true worship, but it begins in your heart and your mind. Have you ever felt like you desperately want to be fully committed to God, but you can’t seem to get it right? You’re in good company. Let’s read about King David, a man after God’s own heart. He loved God and was “fully devoted” to Him. 

(Speaking of Solomon) “…his heart was not fully devoted to the LORD his God, as the heart of David his father had been.”

1 Kings 11:4 

When you look at David’s life, you can see that he still sinned, sometimes in shocking ways, but he continually turned back to God. David practiced a few habits that helped him turn his heart to God that we can emulate.

1) David’s devotion to God wasn’t based on his circumstances. 

“The psalms ring with David’s anthems of adoration and worship. Communion with God in prayer, combined with worship, prepares the hard ground of our hearts, tenderizing and mellowing it into fallow soil, yielded to God.”

Maryann Ward

David did not make a show of his devotion to God, but instead let that relationship define his life. He did not say to himself, “I feel depressed, so that means God is not good.” You can see from passages like Psalm 10, David is not afraid to question God’s actions, but those questions don’t lead him to walk away from God. By the end of the psalm, he is reminded of God’s goodness. “O Lord, why do you stand so far away? Why do you hide when I am in trouble?” Psalm 10.1 NLT. “The Lord is king forever and ever! The godless nations will vanish from the land. Lord, you know the hopes of the helpless. Surely you will hear their cries and comfort them. You will bring justice to the orphans and the oppressed, so mere people can no longer terrify them.” Psalm 10.16-18 NLT. 

In many instances, David tells his soul what to do and how to respond to God’s goodness. “Praise the Lord, my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits—who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.” Psalm 103.1-5 NIV

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2) David trusted God for forgiveness.

When David sinned, he didn’t run from God, he ran towards Him. He threw himself on God’s mercy, knowing only God could forgive and restore him. 

“Have mercy on me, O God, because of your unfailing love. Because of your great compassion, blot out the stain of my sins. Wash me clean from my guilt. Purify me from my sin. For I recognize my rebellion; it haunts me day and night. Against you, and you alone, have I sinned; I have done what is evil in your sight. You will be proved right in what you say, and your judgment against me is just. For I was born a sinner—yes, from the moment my mother conceived me.”

Psalm 51.1-5 NLT

David understood the depths of human depravity, and knew only devotion to God could keep him pure in God’s eyes. He cared more about his relationship with God than the punishment he knew he deserved for his sin. What does this mean for you and I? We can also purpose in our hearts to desire a relationship with God more than everything else. When we find ourselves in a pattern of sin, we can stop, pray, turn from the sin, and throw ourselves on the mercy of God. When the temptation to run and hide from God is strong, fight against it and turn to Him instead. 

3) David treasured the Word of God

“The instructions of the Lord are perfect, reviving the soul. The decrees of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The commandments of the Lord are right, bringing joy to the heart. The commands of the Lord are clear, giving insight for living. Reverence for the Lord is pure, lasting forever. The laws of the Lord are true; each one is fair. They are more desirable than gold, even the finest gold. They are sweeter than honey, even honey dripping from the comb. They are a warning to your servant, a great reward for those who obey them.”

Psalm 19.7-11 NLT

David truly loved God’s Word and it was a source of strength and comfort to him. We can build the same relationship with the Word David did simply by making it a priority. If you struggle with consistently getting in the Word, make a plan for yourself starting small. Set an alarm or put it on your calendar to do a short devotion each day. Ask the Lord to help you fall in love with His Word and to lead you to studies or books or other resources that will help you. 

Hopefully this look at King David helped you see a few practices you can start in your own life to deepen your relationship with God. A life of true worship isn’t easy, but it’s the most worthwhile thing you can pursue. 

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God bless you. Stay hopeful! ❤️