Historically, the word ‘worship’ comes from and Old English word meaning ‘worthiness, acknowledgement of worth’. But what does worship actually mean to us as a Church and me as a worshipping Christian?
Isn’t it just the music?
A lot people seem to see worship as being the same as music or singing. I have seen a number of times when Orders of Service have had things like ‘Worship Block 1’, ‘Worship Block 2’, etc… Indeed, it seems some say that when the music stops, the worship stops. I am reminded of a song by Matt Redman:
When the music fades
And all is stripped away
And I simply come
Longing just to bring
Something that’s of worth
That will bless Your heart
I’ll bring You more than a song
For a song in itself
Is not what You have required
You search much deeper within
Through the way things appear
You’re looking into my heartI’m coming back to the heart of worship
And it’s all about You
It’s all about You, JesusI’m sorry, Lord, for the thing I’ve made it
The Heart of Worship, Matt Redman
When it’s all about You
It’s all about You, Jesus
It’s All About You, Jesus
This line seems to sum it up quite nicely. Worship is, and should be, all about Jesus, and taking an opportunity to give thanks, to honour, and to show how much He is worth to us.
Worship extends beyond music, and encompasses so much that we can and should do. Prayer is a form of worship. Reading the Bible is a form of worship. Helping the helpless is a form of worship.
Our motivation is also important. Why are we worshipping? Is it because we want the adulation of those around us? Jesus himself told us to ‘pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you’ (Matthew 6:6). We need to ensure that Jesus is at the heart of our worship.
Exercising our Worship Muscle
Like any activity we do, practice makes perfect, and without practice we get ‘rusty’. It is important that we consider regular worship (both collective and individual) a key part of our emotional and spiritual welfare. A visit to the spiritual gym is just as important as the real one!
Perhaps it is more important than ever during the current pandemic. Without our ‘usual’ fix of worship each Sunday morning (at least not in its usual format), we must make sure we continue to engage in worship throughout our daily lives.
For me, the loss of music is felt very keenly. However, it has given me the chance to explore my prayer life more, reflect on scripture, and explore these new ‘digital’ opportunities for worshipping together.
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