The Church and Worship

Oh sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth! Sing to the LORD, bless his name; tell of his salvation from day to day. Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples! For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; he is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols, but the LORD made the heavens. Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and beauty are in his sanctuary. Ascribe to the LORD, O families of the peoples, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength! Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; bring an offering, and come into his courts! Worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness; tremble before him, all the earth! (Psalm 96:1-9 ESV). Today we begin to look at some of the basics. As I mentioned in yesterday’s devotional, the first of these is in the area of worship. By the way, we should settle the first fundamental. When we talk about worship we are not necessarily talking about what happens when the church gathers together in a building to sing and teach. That can be worship; but, worship should happen throughout our daily lives. It begins with a clear understanding of God’s glory and what he has done for us. That precipitates our worship. The psalmist in our reading today makes it clear that God is worthy of praise. Families of nations and elements of nature praise and worship the creator, sustainer, and righteous judge.

I have been privileges to travel to some of the most beautiful places in the world. One of those is the Kenai River in Alaska. It is difficult to describe the majesty of the mountains that tower over you as you float the river fishing for salmon or trout. I can assure you it is a place that will shout the worthiness of our God and call us to worship. Worship is not primarily something tailored to meet our needs or bring us comfort. Joyful worship that acknowledges God’s holiness and celebrates his grace will lift our hearts. However, worship must be directed toward God. He is the one who is worshiped. When worship becomes a matter of pleasing the worshipers, then our adoration becomes entertainment and our focus is placed on ourselves. One of those fundamentals of our lives ought to center around the adoration and praise of our hearts directed toward God. Whether you are in a building gathered with others in the community of faith, or you find yourself alone surrounded by god’s great creation, remember the One who has made it all possible. Go back to the foundation. Focus on his great grace. Join the psalmist as he worships: Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; bring an offering, and come into his courts! Worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness; tremble before him, all the earth!