Worship

The last chord is played, the last prayer prayed and the benediction has been given, then the familiar words are heard again – “thank you for a nice time of worship”; “thank you for those songs” etc. While its lovely to hear these words and they come from a sincere heart, I often ask myself what the words mean. When you explore this question you are faced with the underlying question what is worship? There is an element of worship that involves music and singing. There is an element of worship that involves raising hands and voices to our God. But when we delve into it we find worship is so much more and so much richer.

In the book of Romans we find Paul writing and urging the Church to offer their bodies as a living sacrifice … which is their spiritual act of worship. Many pastors preach on this passage and through humorous and serious mannerisms try to explain what a living sacrifice is. Worship pastors and leaders love to use the cliché phrase “worship is a lifestyle”. But the question remains – what kind of lifestyle? Is it merely one that adheres to the rules of God? And if so then how does that translate into worship?

In the book of Isaiah (chapter 6) we find a powerful narrative of Isaiah’s vision of God. In understanding this I have come to see better what worship is. Worship does not just stop at encountering the glory of God. In the context of the holiness and grandeur of heaven’s throne it moves to a place of realisation of the sinfulness and helplessness of the worshippers themselves. But once again we find from this narrative that worship does not just enter into a place of self-condemnation, rather it moves on to a place of repentance and healing and a powerful experience of the forgiveness that is afforded by the highest court in existence. For many of us worship stops there – being right with God. But in this encounter we find that worship moves on from the place of forgiveness to a “hearing of the voice of the Lord”. We are not only forgiven of our sins and misgivings but are then invited to listen to the divine call. Isaiah hears God’s voice and hears God’s burden for a people who were lost and needed someone to go minister. But worship does not end with a powerful encounter with the voice of God. It moves beyond, to its main destination – an appropriate response. Isaiah’s experience ends with his famous words “Here I am, send me.”

When you hold this passage from Isaiah up against Paul’s charge to the Roman church you see a definite similarity. Paul starts his charge to them with the words “therefore in view of God’s mercy” – a little study will show us that he is talking about God’s mercy to forgive, to justify, to sanctify, to elect and call and so much more. Paul is basically teaching that the appropriate response to God’s mercy is to submit ourselves (living sacrifice) to God’s own will. It is a lifestyle that says no to our own carnal desires and says yes to God’s holy plans for our lives. It is to consciously chose to say no to our own dreams and to respond to the heart of God with a life that says “Here I am send me.” Worship is a lifestyle that is in submission to God for the sake of the mission of God.

Even when we talk of worship services, submission is to be the goal. As a worship leader I pray that the songs I choose and the prayers I pray will not just allow people to encounter the glory of God, but they will get right with Him in such a fashion that as soon as the preacher opens the word the congregation will hear the voice of the Lord and deep within the recesses of their own hearts there will arise a confident, courageous, humble and submissive prayer that says “Here I am Lord, send me.”

Truth be told:-

“Offer your bodies as a living sacrifice – holy and acceptable to God. This is your spiritual act of worship.”

Romans 12:1

(My article published in AIM magazine: October Issue)