What is worship? I think many would immediately think of worship as just singing. Maybe singing corporately, like a church service, or singing independently, like in the shower. And not just singing any song but usually a worship song by a worship group. Like songs by Maverick City, Shane & Shane, or Passion. While this can be a way to worship, it is not the full picture of what true worship is.

In an interview with John Piper, on the Ask Pastor John podcast, he had the following quote about worship:

"True worship is a 
valuing or a treasuring 
of God above all 
things." 

That is why there is much more to worshipping God than just singing. A value of God needs to be behind any act of worship.

The Heart of Worship.

How do we value God? And why should we be worshipping him? I think both of these questions can be answered by understanding who we are and who God is. We are creatures that have turned away from our creator. The Creator, God, demands perfection. Which is fair because apart from God there is nothing. However, we as creatures are flawed by nature, constantly being drawn to choose our way apart from God. Making us imperfect.

This is a problem because God can not accept imperfection, any imperfection must be wiped out. So all of us were on that trajectory of destruction. However, God sent his Son, Jesus, to live in perfection and take the destruction meant for us. Ephesians 2:4-5 says, “But God, who is rich in mercy, because of the great love that he had for us, made us alive with Christ even though we were dead in trespasses. You are saved by grace!”

We are deserving of a future separated from God. However God made a way back to himself through a faith in Christ Jesus as Lord. That is how we should value God! As a creator who is rich in mercy. And that is why we should worship him! Because through the sacrifice on the cross, those who believe will get to spend eternity with him. If you have accepted Jesus into you life, then the only way to respond is through worship of your Creator!

Worship with Your Lips.

Now there are so many ways to show God our value of him. But I am going to attempt to put them into two subsections. Singing and living.

Singing praises to God can be found all over scripture, as well as everywhere in the modern world. However I am not sure everyone understands why they are singing.

My view of singing worship has been drastically changed over the past two weeks. It started at a regular church service, I looked to the row in front of me and saw a girl who was deep in pure worship. She was smiling. Throwing her hands up in the air. She was wiping away tears. I don’t know why, but my heart was struck by it. I began to reflect on my own “worship.” Was I showing God how much I value him? No. I was singing the words, but my heart was practically empty and my mind was thinking about lunch.

How often do we go to a worship service and engage like that? Just singing words on the screen but failing to understand why they are there. How was there no emotion in the words I sung? I needed to remember my depravity apart from God. Then truly understand what the sacrifice of Jesus meant for my life. When I restructured my heart back to those truths during that service, I could not stop smiling. I began to sing not just the words but what my heart felt towards God. Which was pure joy founded in his redeeming love.

I sang some of the words in the song, Son of Suffering:

"Your cross, my freedom
Your stripes, my healing
All praise King Jesus
Glory to God in Heaven"

Singing that, how could I not have a smile on my face? If these words are true, then this is the best news I’ve ever heard in my life! Through the cross I have freedom and through the lashes I have healing! Yes truly all praise to Jesus and all glory to God! These four lines should bring us so much overwhelming joy!

Seeing that girl whose heart was overflowing with joy, made me realize something crucial. Singing worship is not about making ourselves feel better or having an enjoyable time in church. It is about bringing everything you have to God. Laying every bit of brokenness in our lives before God, while he continually pours into us the joy of knowing our future in Christ.

Worship with Your Life.

Hebrews 13:15-16 shows the importance of raising up praises to God, but it does not stop with worship from our lips:

"Therefore, through him let us continually offer up to God a sacrifice of praise, that is, the fruit of lips that confess his name. Don’t neglect to do what is good and to share, for God is pleased with such sacrifices."

Looking past singing praises to God, is a whole life that is marked by appreciation for him. Our entire lives should be lived to bring glory to our creator. The two ways we can do this are doing good and sharing. Even though we may not think of these things as worship, when done correctly they can bring honor to God.

Doing Good – God has called us out of sin, and into his light. So to walk in the light means to follow his will and do good. And we can see that following him in goodness is a form of God-pleasing worship.

Sharing – Live a life marked by service to others. Whether that is physically helping people with their needs or spiritually helping them find their way. In this too we can see that God will be pleased.

God sent Jesus to deliver us from the death that we deserved. In that fact alone, we owe him everything. We should turn towards him in worship constantly. Worship by lifting up our voices in praise and worship by laying our lives down to his perfect will. Glorify God, the giver of life.

By: Aaron Hershberger