Hey!  I’m back.  Yeah I’ve been away for a couple of weeks.  Sorry about that.  Between surgery and the holidays, things have been a little hectic.  So now that we’re back on track I want to start the year off right.  Let’s talk about worship.

First let’s define worship.  Google says the noun version of the word is as follows.

noun
the feeling or expression of reverence and adoration for a deity.

And the verb version is.

verb

show reverence and adoration for (a deity); honor with religious rites.

While this definition is technically correct, it doesn’t do justice to the act of worship.  Let’s see if we can do better.

Mark 12:29-31 CSB
[29] Jesus answered, “The most important is Listen, Israel! The Lord our God, the Lord is one. [30] Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. [31] The second is, Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other command greater than these.”

1 Corinthians 10:31 CSB
[31] So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God.

When we define worship like this neither noun nor verb matter.  Let me explain.

In these 4 verses we see every aspect of our lives.  Heart, soul, mind, and strength encompasses our entire being, our reason , our existence, we are to love as we love ourselves which ties up our emotions, and we are to do everything for the glory of God covering the physical.  Now there is much more in there but we don’t have that kind of time here.  If this definition is the one we use to define worship, then worship is all that we are and all that we do.  Personally I think this definition does the word, the act, and the concept of worship much more justice.

Now how do we live it?  Here is a scratch to the surface of that.

Prayer and praise.

James 5:13 CSB
[13] Is anyone among you suffering? He should pray. Is anyone cheerful? He should sing praises.

I’ve said it before.  You are either suffering or cheerful.  Prayer or praise.

Action, be mobile and not stationary! I have never found retirement in the Bible.  You might have to change jobs but you’ll still be working.  It’s worship.

Colossians 1:24-25 CSB
[24] Now I rejoice in my sufferings for you, and I am completing in my flesh what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for his body, that is, the church. [25] I have become its servant, according to God’s commission that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known,

When I first read this verse I asked the obvious question. 

WHAT COULD POSSIBLY BE LACKING IN THE AFFLICTIONS Of CHRIST? 

Then I did what we’re supposed to do.  I read further.  To make the word of God fully known.  There is a work that God has commissioned us to do.  That’s where that possible job change comes in.

Action, do what is right.

James 4:17 CSB
[17] So it is sin to know the good and yet not do it.

Isaiah 1:17 CSB
[17] Learn to do what is good. Pursue justice. Correct the oppressor. Defend the rights of the fatherless. Plead the widow’s cause.

It’s not rocket science.  You’re born with a conscience, that head knowledge of right and wrong.  Use it for the Lord.

Action, for others in the name of the Lord.

Hebrews 10:32-34 CSB
[32] Remember the earlier days when, after you had been enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings. [33] Sometimes you were publicly exposed to taunts and afflictions, and at other times you were companions of those who were treated that way. [34] For you sympathized with the prisoners and accepted with joy the confiscation of your possessions, because you know that you yourselves have a better and enduring possession.

These folks fulfilled that commission I talked about before even when it was hard, even when they were afflicted, and even when their possessions were confiscated.  They did it with joy through all of it.  Why?  How could they possibly have joy through that?  Because they knew that Christ is a better and enduring possession.

2 Timothy 1:16-17 CSB
[16] May the Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, because he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains. [17] On the contrary, when he was in Rome, he diligently searched for me and found me.

Onesiphorus fulfilled that commission by going to Roman prisons looking for Paul who was imprisoned for being a Christian.  He went there knocked on their door hoping to minister to Paul as a Christian.  He knew he could be locked up for being a Christian and did it anyway.  All as worship to Christ his better and enduring possession.

Read and study the Word.

Joshua 1:8 CSB
[8] This book of instruction must not depart from your mouth; you are to meditate on it day and night so that you may carefully observe everything written in it. For then you will prosper and succeed in whatever you do.

Psalms 119:9 CSB
[9] How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping your word.

Attend Church.

Hebrews 10:25 CSB
[25] not neglecting to gather together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging each other, and all the more as you see the day approaching.

We need each other to do worship right.

I could do this forever.  You can see the point though.  Everything you are and do should be worship.  Let’s commit 2025 to worship now.

Love in Christ,

Colby