ARTICLE – 16 October 2016

Worship is a central practice in our lives as Christians. Every Sunday, we gather together for a time of corporate worship as a Church in songs and praises to our God and sharing from the Bible. At many other Christian functions, a time of corporate worship is often incorporated. Though worship through songs and praises is a common form of worship, it is not the only act of worship one can do. Other acts of worship include prayer, reading of the Bible and obeying God.

However, such acts of worship are mere outward representations of what true worship really is. True worship is the process of surrendering your entire life into God’s hands. Everything you do can and should be an act of worship, as long as it is done in submission to God. Hence, true worship is defined through the priority we place on who God is in our lives – He undoubtedly should be #1.

John 4:23-24 records the encounter Jesus had with the Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well in Sychar. Jesus spoke to her of the importance of worship. The verses say, “Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and His worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.” The word “must” makes worship an absolute. Though one can choose the ways (or the acts) in which they express their worship (as most do according to their calling), one cannot chose NOT to worship God.

We are told here that God identifies true worshippers as those who worship in the Spirit and in truth, which is done through complete submission to Him. We do not worship God for the things He has done for us, but we worship God because He is God, and that we love Him. We come like Apostle Thomas with our doubts and declare: “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28). 1 John 4:19 reminds us that ”We love because He first loved us.” Psalm 96:13 declares: “Let all creation rejoice before the LORD, for He comes, He comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples in His faithfulness.” Let us simply and always come as we are to “Worship God!”