Worship is More Than a Song

            When we think of worship the idea is singing a joyful noise to the Father in Praise and Adoration. That is only partially right. Worship is a relationship with God, not just for an hour or two on a Sunday and or Wednesday. It is a daily, monthly, yearly thing. It, in fact encompasses our very being as we are in a relationship with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Our moment to moment companion is the Holy Spirit so when we serve others, we are in obedient reverence to Him. Worship is a way of life, it is our Sabbath activity.
          The church has gone though many changes in the last 200 years but even more so with the rise of the Christian recording artists in the mainstream of the last 25 years. Don’t get me wrong, I love the music and the message the problem is there are more modern churches going away from the traditional hymnal and have a house band. I am not saying it is bad because I myself play drums for a church praise and worship band, but we really must be careful in the music selection and how it is performed. In fact, performed is not a real good word here so let’s use presented instead.          
           When we present ourselves before God in song, we must remember that during corporate worship it is just that, a joining with others to give praise to our Father. It is not just one person leading and the others repeating, but a rising of voices singing praise as one but many. It is not a concert. Remember the song, “Heart of Worship.”
    Note: if you are a Worship Leader this is not a hit, just a friendly reminder.
Here is the thing though, some churches have misconstrued the true meaning of worship and whittled the service down to being 20 minutes of music, short corporate prayer and prayer over the offering, more music, a 20 minute sermon then close. Included somewhere is a short greeting of those around you. In the end you are rushed out of the church to allow time for other functions.  Where is the relationship in this worship??
            When I hear the song “Come (Now is the Time to Worship)”, I am reminded we should be in some state of worship all the time in our hearts. Having this relationship does not regulate our prayers to 5 corporate/personal a day like Islam. Festivals and feasts (sacrifices) are in the heart 24/7. The problem is set from this though; do we really do this, in our daily lives how many times to we acknowledge our relationship with God?
            We are who we are in the world, but we must remember one of the most basic and important aspects of our lives; we are God’s children and we are obligated to give Him our full attention. When we are in the Father and falter, we ask forgiveness and hear the little voice in our head when we are tempted to do it again.
          Having a firm relationship with God isn’t easy and I my heart pours out for those who are being reprimanded, imprisoned, and murdered because of their standing firm in their beliefs as well as spending time with God and doing what is required of us. Seems like a lot but since we only go into corporate worship one or two times a week, God relies on us to make the conscious decision to spend time with Him through service and prayer. Our heart in Jesus requires us to live a life of praise and worship through singing, serving, loving and obeying Him in all things.
Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines,
though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food,
though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord,
I will be joyful in God my Savior.  Habakkuk 3:17-18
             
For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.