Wednesday, June 11, 2014

Worshipping God

Psalm 122
English Standard Version (ESV)

A Song of Ascents. Of David.
122 
I was glad when they said to me,
    “Let us go to the house of the Lord!”
Our feet have been standing
    within your gates, O Jerusalem!
Jerusalem—built as a city
    that is bound firmly together,
to which the tribes go up,
    the tribes of the Lord,
as was decreed for[a] Israel,
    to give thanks to the name of the Lord.
There thrones for judgment were set,
    the thrones of the house of David.
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem!
    “May they be secure who love you!
Peace be within your walls
    and security within your towers!”
For my brothers and companions' sake
    I will say, “Peace be within you!”
For the sake of the house of the Lord our God,
    I will seek your good.

John 4:20-26
English Standard Version (ESV)
20 Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you say that in Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship.” 21 Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. 22 You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23 But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. 24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” 25 The woman said to him, “I know that Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ). When he comes, he will tell us all things.” 26 Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am he.” http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+4%3A20&version=ESV

1 Corinthians 3:16
English Standard Version (ESV)
16 Do you not know that you[a] are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you?
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=I+Corinthians+3%3A16&version=ESV


What is worship?  Dictionary. Com has several meanings of worship mentioned from corporate worship to business worship, to idol worship but the one I will use today is adoring reverence or regard.  How do we worship God?  We worship Him through our reverence to Him, by adoring Him for being Him.  Where do we worship God?   Jesus was pretty clear that a time would come and it came where our worship would not have to be in a Temple in Jerusalem or on top of a mountain but could be within us.  There was a time that God dwelt in the Temple and those who did not know God thought they needed to go to the mountaintop to worship. I would imagine they felt they were a little closer to Him there.  Jesus changed all of that though by dwelling amongst the people, by taking the burden of sin away, and by sending the Holy Spirit to dwell within us.  We no longer have to go through a priest for God to hear us.  Nor do we have to go to a special place for God to hear us.  We can adore and praise Him no matter where we are or what we are doing.  We don’t have to wait to thank God for what He has done in our lives, we can do it right now, right here!  God is a God of wonder, He is a God of greatness, He is a God of peace, power, and majesty, why should we wait to worship, we need to do it now?  And He has given us the opportunity to do so.

As I sit here and write this blog, I am worshipping.  I am adoring the One who brought me to this place.  No matter where we are or what we are doing worship, adoration to God, should always be our stance.  Does that mean that we don’t have to go to church?  No, but what it does mean is that we do not have to hold off on worshipping God until we get to church.  When we walk into church we do so to corporately give God praise and adoration.  What it means is that you don’t have to wait, God is here, God is there, God is everywhere.  Worship Him and adore Him as you seek Him and know Him with your whole heart.

Seeking Him with all my heart,


Sheila

No comments:

Post a Comment