The Priority of Worship - Psalms 66-67 and Romans 7
The Bible is filled with commands and encouragements for us to worship God. The Psalms continuously mention praise and thanksgiving, as things we should offer up to God. Why is worship so important? What is the purpose of worship? Worship is a personal action in which we respond to what God has done in our lives and in the world to show Him how worthy He is. It must come from the heart, not out of duty, or else it is meaningless. It must come from a clean heart, or God does not hear us. It is a serious act of love to the one who means everything to us, or it is nothing. God repeatedly told the Jewish people in the Old Testament that He rejects insincere worship of any kind. Therefore, we must tell God how wonderful He is out of our clean hearts of love for Him. Then, He responds to our worship, because He sees our hearts, and He knows we are right with Him. Think about worship as you read these 2 psalms. Look at all of the admonitions to worship, and consider the reasons given to praise God and to thank God. Then, consider the reasons you have to worship God.
Romans 7 is not really about worship, but then, it is about worship. Paul starts off explaining that when we come to know Christ, we are married to Him. Shouldn't that be a reason to worship Him, that He would love us enough to enter into an intimate life-long relationship with us? Then, Paul goes on to explain the problem we have with doing God's will, because of the law of sin working in our flesh. In truth, we can't avoid sin on our own. The only way we can overcome sin is through Jesus Christ. Therefore, we owe Him all of our thanks and worship for delivering us from sin. Now, I don't mean just that He saved us from our sins. I mean that each day He shows us how to overcome sin. Hebrews 4:15 tells us that He was tempted in every way we are tempted yet, He did not sin. He is the one who can show us how to overcome any sin on any day. Now, is that a reason to praise Him, thank Him, and to worship Him continuously? I hope so. We should constantly have a song of praise on our lips and in our hearts, as we walk with Jesus each day. That is worship. Then, on the Lord's day we come together with our fellow believers to join our hearts together in a time of united, corporate worship. There is power in unified Christian worship. Our hearts are lifted up, as God smiles upon us, and we are ready to go out and be His missionaries to the world around us.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Psalms 68-69 and Romans 8:1-21.
Romans 7 is not really about worship, but then, it is about worship. Paul starts off explaining that when we come to know Christ, we are married to Him. Shouldn't that be a reason to worship Him, that He would love us enough to enter into an intimate life-long relationship with us? Then, Paul goes on to explain the problem we have with doing God's will, because of the law of sin working in our flesh. In truth, we can't avoid sin on our own. The only way we can overcome sin is through Jesus Christ. Therefore, we owe Him all of our thanks and worship for delivering us from sin. Now, I don't mean just that He saved us from our sins. I mean that each day He shows us how to overcome sin. Hebrews 4:15 tells us that He was tempted in every way we are tempted yet, He did not sin. He is the one who can show us how to overcome any sin on any day. Now, is that a reason to praise Him, thank Him, and to worship Him continuously? I hope so. We should constantly have a song of praise on our lips and in our hearts, as we walk with Jesus each day. That is worship. Then, on the Lord's day we come together with our fellow believers to join our hearts together in a time of united, corporate worship. There is power in unified Christian worship. Our hearts are lifted up, as God smiles upon us, and we are ready to go out and be His missionaries to the world around us.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Psalms 68-69 and Romans 8:1-21.