Paying Respect. It is an ancient concept that never grows old. It is the best way to get ahead in life -- to be polite and respectful. And it is the key to the life of a child of God. Paying God the proper respect is what we should be doing every Sunday in worship.
In worship, we are told the story of God who is much bigger than all that. We are told of God who delivered his people through the Red Sea. We are told of God died and rose again. We are told of God who for four thousand years has preserved and cared for his beloved children. When we come to worship and when we experience his presence and we’re reminded of his mighty work, we feel trust. We’re safe within our Father’s care.
And we know that to be true — hasn’t God miraculously helped us in our lives and in the lives of our churches? Prasie God that God did not give up on us? This is our time to show respct and exercise trust. This trust that is inspired in worship helps us develop the attitude that Paul had in Philippians 3:13-14 “... this one thing I do. Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” This trust enables us to stop languishing in the past or agonizing over the difficulties of the present and fix our eyes on the wonderful future that Christ has for us. Christianity is all about hope. Because of Christ, in Christ, through Christ, we ahve hope!
Worship is all about God. When we come to worship, it inspires within us a sense of belonging and a sense of trust. It also inspires a sense of awe. The names of God convey his majesty. Just look at Isiaah 43:3 "For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior." The name translated with the all capitals LORD is the actual divine name of God. Great respect and power that went along with that divine name. In seminary I heard about the scribes who, when they wrote that very divine name, they would break the quill they had been using out of respect.
Our God is the Holy One of Israel. Holy means set apart for a special purpose. But when we talk of God’s holiness we mean mainly two things — the first is his absolute majesty — he is not a creature. He is not something subject to the dictates of a living being. He is completely above all things and as such He is stunning in majesty. The other part of holiness is that God stands apart from everything that is evil and bad. Every last bit. He cannot stand the slightest evil thought word or deed.
Both senses of Holiness are pictured in Isaiah’s story of his call to ministry — he tells us about it in Chapter 6:1-7. Do you get a sense of the awe, the sense of fear before something completely other? That’s the very feeling that worship inspires within us.
Belonging, Trust, Awe, Conviction, among many others. These reflect that God is both completely beyond us, and yet completely personal. He is both terrible in his splendor and tender in his loving care. These feelings don’t arise when we come to worship for our own entertainment. They only arise when we come expecting to encounter the living God. We can’t produce these emotions, but we can prepare ourselves to receive whatever God gives us in worship. But how can we do this? Well, we need to put our worship on a higher level.
Here are some concrete ways we can do that -- we will see a difference ...
If we lay aside for a time the day-to-day cares of our lives, and MAKE SURE we are in church every Sunday. If we are traveling, go to a church in the town where you are. And do not miss services at your home church when you are in town. God deserves your respect and attendance. Other members deserve your support and attendance. WORSHIP is not about you, it is about GOD and OTHERS and your service and respect for them.
If we endeavor for a time to stop the running freight train of our concerns — it’ll be there when you’re done with worship, don’t worry. Stop considering worship as an entertainment on par with a nice, well-articulated motivational speech or a great performance by the choir or soloist. What counts is worshipping God. Every thing else is a wonderful bonus blessing from a loving God. Laying your life in commitment before God is where it is at. Get that fact!
If we start realizing that our experience in worship depends much more upon our own attitudes going into worship than it does upon the quality of the speaker or the music or the audio visuals.
We must start coming for the express purpose of meeting with our maker, Holy One of Israel
If, before worship, we cry out in our hearts “Lord, speak to me today — give me your message.” If we pray for worship throughout the week. If we pray diligently for the pastor and the musicians and the choir, that they may be led by the Holy Spirit, that all things may glorify God, then we will see huge differences, through the mighty power of the Holy One in our lives.
