WHY DO WE WORSHIP GOD?

The title question is one whose answer is vital to our spiritual and physical well being. However, when we are asked why we worship God, our answers are often vague because we take worshipping God for granted and never methodically think it through. The most basic answer is that He is the great and powerful Creator and we, the insignificant and weak creation. Therefore, we humble ourselves and submit.

Such reasoning is true and a good start, but that is all it is, a place to begin. In the church worship is something that is always there; it is woven into the fabric of our lives, and in far too many cases, we take it for granted. It is entirely possible that we have never considered even basic things about worshipping God. For instance, could our understanding of worship be far too narrow? Why does God want us to worship Him? Are there plain and practical reasons for it? Could it even be necessary for us to worship Him for Him to fulfill His purpose in us?

Grammatically, worship can be either a verb or noun. According to Webster's Dictionary, its verb form includes such synonyms as "esteem," "exalt," "revere," "glorify" and "respect." As a noun, it can encompass adoration, veneration, devotion, supplication and invocation. Its actual definition, though, is "reverence, honor or homage paid to God; ceremonies or services expressing such reverence." Worship thus includes both an attitude and the actions that accompany and are motivated by it.

The Dictionary of Biblical Imagery says, "Worship is first and foremost a verb, an action" This is revealing because so many equate worship with either a place (usually a building) or a feeling. That worship is an action, becomes clearer when we examine the roots of the Hebrew and Greek words for "worship." According to the New Bible Dictionary, both the "Hebrew aboda, and the Greek latreia originally signified the labor of slaves or hired servants". Therefore, the underlying concept of worship in Scripture is that of service to the One revered. This understanding greatly expands the application of worship far beyond the walls of a building. It includes any activity done in service to, and because of, the one worshipped.

Worship is homage consisting of both an attitude of deep respect, adoration, reverence and even awe and the activities designed to describe the position and worth of the One worshipped. We must understand that biblically, the Creator initiates our worship of Him and that our response in worship is merely a reaction to His insertion of Himself into our lives. Most of the Old Testament allusions to worship are confined to services in or about the Tabernacle, the Temple, the sacrifices and festivals. They celebrate Him as Creator, Deliverer, Provider and Redeemer, and center on such things as the Passover, Exodus, His miraculous provision in the wilderness and bountiful harvests.

In the New Testament, these "restraints" are greatly diminished. In fact, Jesus showed in John 4:21 that worship in a place like the Temple is unnecessary. Further elaboration by Paul reveals that we are the Temple, and the worship of God expands to any time, any place, under any circumstance. This does not mean that fellowshipping as a congregation in a formal setting is no longer necessary, but it enlarges the idea and practice of worship beyond and besides the formal setting. In other words, worship expands right into the home, the work place, the bedroom, the kitchen, the highway and the ball field. In fact, worship includes all the activities one does as well as the formal religious setting.

Thus, we have the opportunity through all our activities to show the high regard and homage we hold for the One we worship. We can see, then, that worship even plays a part in the quality of witness we make before the world, though it is an indirect fruit of worship.

Worshipping God plays a far more direct, positive and practical role in the completion of His purpose in us than we may have realized.