Great Worship Today!

Almost every Sunday, someone says something like this to me, “Great worship today!” You don’t have to be a Greek or Hebrew scholar to interpret the meaning of those words. They usually mean, “I really liked the music today.” Generally, I don’t stop and enter into a theological discourse about the implications of that short phrase. I usually simply accept it as a compliment, say “Thank you,” and continue greeting others as they leave the worship center. But for just a minute, I would like to explore with you what it means to be engaged in “great worship.” Two words should stand out to you in this discussion, recognition and response. Rory Noland observes in his inspiring book, The Worshipping Artist, “Today many equate being emotionally moved by music as being moved by the Spirit, but these are not the same. Real worship happens when your spirit responds to [who God is], not some musical tone. Thus, worship is an action, a response, it is something we do.” In I Chronicles 16:28-30, the New Living Translation (NLT) records the words of David in this way. “O nations of the world, recognize the Lord,
recognize that the Lord is glorious and strong. Give to the Lord the glory he deserves!
Bring your offering and come into his presence.
Worship the Lord in all his holy splendor.” The first step to “great worship” is to recognize who God is. The second is to respond to who He is by giving, bringing and coming, all action verbs. Music is not worship. But music is a wonderful means by which we can worship. It engages our entire being; mind, soul and body. The lyrics express our thoughts. The beauty of the sounds coupled with the rise and fall of the melodies engage our emotions. The notes we sing and play encourage us, as in the words of Paul, “To present our bodies as a living sacrifice wholly acceptable to God. This is our reasonable act of worship.” I want to close with one of the best definitions of worship that I have ever heard. “Worship, therefore, is passionate, zealous, uninhibited all-out engagement with the presence and character of God.” (Rory Noland, The Worshipping Artist) Now, go and have some “Great worship today!”