What if we stopped trying to define what worship is and just worship? It seems that American Christianity seems to be caught up in the ‘Explicities’ rather than the ‘Simplicities.’ There seems to be a fine line drawn in the sand that should not be crossed by our mindset. When concern for minority becomes our major mindset, then worship becomes just another empty religious ritual, and let’s face it, the world doesn’t need anymore of those does it?
When will worship and doctrine become practical and ethical? This question has been a big concern of mine through several conversations that I’ve had with brothers and sisters of different theological viewpoints. When we believe something, then it should be practiced, right? At least that’s what I’ve learned in my interaction with people. People say that our beliefs will focus our attitudes, therefore our behavior will be affected. This is correct, but why is it that when I look at my belief system my behavior is not always a reflection of it? I believe in a process known as Progressive Sanctification, but how come it seems that no progress is being made by the Holy Spirit at times?
This is where the rubber meets the road. I’m studying and learning all sorts of things while in class. I mean I’m getting my head slammed full of material that I will be handling for the rest of my life. I’ve been taught a lot and still have a long road ahead of me. With great power comes great responsibility, right? If what they say about our behavior being a reflection of our beliefs, then my behavior should reflect what I’m learning, but it doesn’t always do that. Many of my friends can testify to how I’ve done and said bad things around them. I don’t understand how things just slip out of me like it’s nobody’s business.
Jesus said in Matthew 15:18-19 that what comes out of the mouth is a direct correlation of what comes from the heart. Jeremiah 17:9 shows that the heart is not always as it seems to us and our evil intentions are often hid by a deceitful heart. In other words, in comparison to what we believe and how we behave, we are in bad shape.
I think that reverential worship (the only way to worship) is through a direct understanding of who God is and where we stand before Him. God is the perfect, holy being that set forth the entire universe with words! I don’t think that we as Christians truly understand this completely, or we would be more in awe of what was going on. If worship indicates a direct link to God and a communing fellowship with God, then we need to be more reverential before the throne of our God.
To come to His throne with the respect that He is due, we need to come in full recognition of ourselves. We need to be in remembrance of the terrible person that we are and the holy Being that our God is. This is the essence of worship. If this is our attitude then whatever follows will be God-centered and completely void of all flesh. Understanding who we are without the divine intervention of our God is the only way to approach His presence.
Moses understood this when He approached the burning bush. Isaiah understood this when answering the call from God. Peter understood this when Jesus called him in Luke. Paul understood this when he was enveloped in the presence of Christ on the Damascus road.
When will we understand this as well? When will we get a full reverential attitude toward the worship of our God that causes us to bow. Worship is not a mindset, it’s a response, it’s a response to the presence of God’s glory being manifested in our sinful hearts.
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