Worship (noun)- The adoration of a person, place, thing, or idea
I am a missionaries daughter. A pastors child. A Christian school graduate... I am a church going, Bible reading, God-fearing believer. I have spent much of my life sitting in countless sermons, lessons, and praise sessions. I have been surrounded by people who have loved on me, encouraged me, and pushed me toward Christ every day. I have lifted my hands in church and chapel, cried to the words of "Amazing Grace", and sat on the couches of Starbucks while talking about Jesus to my mentors and my peers. I have spent nights laying under the stars, gazing at the vast majesty that I find within His galaxies. I have traveled to places that are featured in National Geographic. I have held the hands of starving children in Haiti, and I have laughed with Peruvian friends while floating the Amazon River. I have watched God work in the midst of tragedies, and I have seen his endless grace bring prosperity.
For nineteen years I have served a God of endless wonder. I have devoted myself, to the best of my ability, to furthering His kingdom and bringing glory to His name. I have loved the sinner and hated the sin... I have prayed for help in trials... I have praised when it seemed due... But have I worshiped Him??? To worship God... to bring praise to the creator of the ENTIRE universe... It seems as though it would be an impossible task.
And so, I have realized that my worship is conditional. My devotion to God is happiness-based. Contentment-based. When things are going wrong... When life is getting confusing... I trust God and I pray to him, but it isn't in a state of worship. It isn't with a mindset of glorification and exaltation. It is with a selfish attitude that I pray and say "God this is really hard right now but you know what?? I'm still trusting you." And do you know why its selfish? Because in the back of my mind I am always thinking "I wonder if I'm getting points for this prayer... I wonder if he realizes how devoted I am because I "still trust Him", and he is going to turn this situation around real quick!"
The act of worshiping our Heavenly Father is not something that happens when the band is on stage, the lights are low, and beautiful voices are harmonizing with the melody. The act of worshiping our Heavenly Father is not the praise when you don't lose your job after your companies tough hit or when your mothers test results come back negative. Worship is not based on our income, our possessions, or the length of our guest list at our annual party. The act of worshiping our Heavenly Father is an every day, all the time, constant state of exaltation, glorification, and adoration of the creator of the galaxies. It is the acknowledgment of his unconditional love, his overflowing blessings, and his mercies which are made new every day. To worship God... to love God, is to talk with Him, to learn from Him, to lean on Him, and to spend every moment in awe of his majesty, seeking to glorify Him in all that we do.
Worship (verb)- the adoration of the person of God at all times, in all things
