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Imagine watching your team fight their way to a major victory. What is a normal response? We jump to our feet, applaud, cheer, and shout. We consider this perfectly natural.

Worship is a perfectly natural response to God.

 THE GOD WE WORSHIP

There is something about God that inspires worship. The more you study the universe or the human brain, the more your sense of wonder grows. What a God of wisdom, skill, and power! We worship God because of the splendor of His being.

                But we also worship God for personal reasons: He loves us, answers our prayers, and watches over us. So we worship God for who He is and what He’s done.

 WORSHIP IS A RESPONSE

Worship doesn’t begin with us but with God. We respond to our Creator. We give expression to feelings we have regarding Him, feelings of awe and love. The more we focus our concentration on Him, the greater and deeper our response of worship.

 HOW WORSHIP EXPRESSES ITSELF

Worship finds many means of creative expression. For instance, we worship God with words as in prayer, poetry, and song. We worship God through rituals (e.g., Baptism and the Lord’s Supper) and meaningful gestures (kneeling or lifting our hands, Psalms 141:2). Music is also an important expression of worship.

                We also worship God in quiet wonder: a spiritual expression from deep within our hearts, something beyond words. 

SPIRITUAL SACRIFICE

In the Bible, sacrifice was a major component of worship. People gave God something of value. Christians are to “offer their bodies as living sacrifices.”

                In other words, we present-or yield-our whole lives to God when we worship. Surrender to God is the heart of worship. This form of worship includes giving every action of our daily lives to God, whether our occupation, education, hobby, or play (Colossians 3:17). Anything you do can be made an act of worship.

 PERSONAL INVOLVEMENT

Unlike spectators at a game, you can’t worship God as an observer. Worship requires participation. Our experience of God in worship grows in proportion to our involvement.

 FORMS OF WORSHIP

Praise: Creative, outward expression of God’s greatness.

Exalt: Speak of God’s superiority over anything else.

Thank: Acknowledge God-the source of help and blessing.

Bless: Give God the richest part of our lives.

Proclaim: Tell others about God and His works.

Adore: Inward contemplation and devotion.

 ENCOUNTER WITH GOD

God has chosen to manifest His presence to us in worship. It’s not surprising for people to have a powerful experience of God during worship. He often comes to us in the middle of a song or prayer.

An encounter with God is different from feeling emotionally moved by music or drama. Real encounters empower us and help us to make important life changes.

If you would like to learn more about worship, please give us a call.

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