Singing Scripture
In a recent reflection “Singing Scripture”, I thought about the power of using Scripture in worship. That reflection moved me to think about the place of worship in my daily life, being reminded that worshipping God is not just a Sunday morning occupation.
Man’s chief end
Way, way back at Junior School I remember being taught the Westminster Shorter Confession. It included this statement: ‘Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy Him forever.” That got me wondering what those two things mean for my life. I saw that worship – acknowledging God’s worthiness – should be a way of life. A way of life, when moment by moment, I am ready to acknowledge with both gratitude and joy, His sustaining presence and His eternally unchanging character.
Glorifying God
So to “Glorify God”means that the primary desire of my life is to reflect God’s character, to honour Him in my actions, and acknowledge His supreme worth. Rather than living just for myself, I direct the focus of my life towards my Creator and Sustainer.
Enjoying Him
To “Enjoy Him Forever” shouldn’t be a difficult task; it should bring joy and happiness into my life. Because my eternal fulfilment (starting now!) is only found in my relationship with God – I need to delight in His presence both now and into eternity. I want my worship to honour both these things, glorifying my God and enjoying him forever.
Worshipping in spirit and truth
But there is even more! The Bible calls me to worship “in spirit and in truth”
“God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” (John 4:24)
What does that mean? Jesus is speaking, so His words form a command to every one of His disciples, both then and now. Worshipping in spirit requires me to exercise spiritual discipline and to realise I am a spiritual being, temporarily living in a physical body. Worshipping in truth means that I acknowledge my grace-filled relationship with God, in the reality of all He has done, is doing and will continue to do; rejoicing in the unmerited blessings He lavishes upon me.
So worship in its fullness should involve respectful devotion – loving, honouring, and obeying my heavenly Father, who because of His nature deserves to be held in highest regard. It means acknowledging and celebrating His power and perfection with a grateful heart. It also includes my understanding and acknowledging His holiness with awe as I remember His eternal greatness.
My challenge
John 4:24 is very challenging. True worship must be more than just singing songs. That’s an idea I need to lose. No longer just singing nice songs but a life of worship, a true spiritual connection with God. I need to worship in a way that realises I have a genuine, life-transforming relationship with my Heavenly Father. Yes, I want to lead a life that brings glory to God in every part of it! I need to explore this further!
All references are from the NKJV unless specified otherwise.
John Partis
bearing-kingdom-fruit.com
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