Scripture teaches us many things about how to worship, where to worship, when to worship and why to worship. However, I would argue that the most important thing it teaches us is Who we worship. Psalm 29:2 says “Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness.” Revelation 4:11 “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.” What are some ways we can practically use the Word to worship the Hero of the Bible?
Read. In order to know God, you have to know what He says. Psalm 119:7 “I will praise you with an upright heart as I learn your righteous laws.” Setting aside time to hear what God is saying to us is key to our worship. The more we learn what He says, who He is and what He desires, the better we can worship.
Ruminate. This word means literally to “chew the cud.” Scripture teaches us we need to think over and meditate on the Word. Psalm 119:48 says “I reach out for your commands, which I love, that I may meditate on your decrees.” After reading through passages, we can meditate on them as we go throughout our day.
Respond. How can we respond to what we have read and mediated? First, we can pray it back to Him. The Psalms are filled with examples of psalmists reminding God of His words and past faithfulness. Next, we can share it with others. Psalm 105:1-2 says, “Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name; make known among the nations what he has done. Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts.” Finally, we can sing it back to him. We will spend eternity singing our praise back to Jesus for who He is and what He’s done. Revelation tells us that Heaven will be about worshipping the One scripture points us to.
“8 Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings. Day and night they never stop saying: “ ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty,’who was, and is, and is to come.” 9 Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever, 10 the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say: 11 “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.”
It’s all about Him.
I will close with an excerpt of something I wrote in college. An eye-opening moment where I realized that I was created to worship. And who it was I worshiped.
“Have you ever noticed that when a large group of people sing, suddenly it becomes beautiful. It’s one voice in a wonderful tone that doesn’t require perfect pitch or even a well-trained voice…it simply blends to make something fantastic. As I listened to this song I wondered, “is that how God hears it?” Sometimes I imagine He only hears one massive, collective, and beautiful voice of all His saints that, though they are all around the globe singing in hundreds of different languages and thousands of different songs, they come together in perfect harmony of His praise.Now all I want to do is listen and sing to the Lord. I feel as though tonight I caught a glimpse of Heaven. The true Heaven where one day, with one voice we will live in constant praise of our Lord. He is who we worship. He is everything.