God calls us to worship Him. Ultimately, that is what we are here for, to praise Him, honor Him, spread news of Him and the saving grace of Jesus. Today, it is common to generalize the term “worship” to mean a specific time of musical expression and prayer to God. Though this is completely true, I think that it’s good to remind ourselves that worship is so much more…it is everything we do to bring glory to God. When I’m in front of a group of kids, getting ready to lead young hearts (and sometimes old ones) to sing praises to Jesus, I like to remind them that worship is seen in many forms. Just in one chapel session we can see worship in the following ways:
We worship in giving (Philippians 4:10-20)
Each summer at Arrowhead we choose a person or organization to support financially. This means collecting an offering at chapel time as we talk about what God is doing through the people that follow His prompting to “make disciples of all nations.” Since each summer we support someone different, it’s easy to see that God uses great diversity in who He calls to serve and the many ways one can go about serving.
We worship in listening (2 Timothy 3:14-17)
As Christians we want to strive to know God more and more. One way of doing that is through reading and listening to His Word. At Arrowhead we like to hone in on scripture and what it has to offer us for living and learning more about who God is. I try to remind kids that listening to a speaker isn’t a passive time, but it is an opportunity to engage in knowing God on a more intimate level.
We worship in song (Psalm 100)
The largest book of the Bible is Psalms; a whole book dedicated to poems and songs of worship! God is glad to hear us sing and devote time to concentrate on Him. I try to pick out songs that point us to Christ; not me-centered, but God-centered. Songs, not filled with things of earth, but instead things that point us to maintain an eternal viewpoint. This includes both songs from long ago and songs written last year. I want to foster an environment of whole worship. If one does not know a song, one can still be engrossed in worship through reading lyrics or prayer.
Throughout the years, I have seen God use these times of worship to draw people closer to know Himself intimately. And what a beautiful thing that is! I have a unique advantage when leading worship up front; I’m able to listen to the myriad of voices calling upon Christ’s name. Sometimes it can be overwhelming, reminding me that worship is magnified in numbers and God is honored through that. It also propels me forward in the task at hand; that is, guiding others to praise the one who created us.
Worship can be in anything. As I recall one pastor mentioning, you give yourself with your “Time, ticker, talent and treasure.” So in all things, from where you spend your energy and resources, to the desires of you heart, may all things be in worship to God.
