Oh, Worship the King!

Oh, worship the King, all glorious above!
Oh, gratefully sing His power and His love;
Our Shield and Defender, the Ancient of Days,
Pavilioned in splendour and girded with praise.  (Sir Robert Grant)

I have been learning quite a few things about 'worship' in the past few days, thanks to my daily devotional guide. Let me share what the Holy Spirit has been teaching me in this regard. Basically from childhood, I was raised in a staunch evangelical Christian background, with a passion for Jesus Christ. Church going, Sunday school, salvation experience, witnessing etc., were much part of the Christian disciplines, my parents and my church have nurtured me in. In recent years as a family we were 'led' by the Holy Spirit, through some changing circumstances,to enjoy the sweet communion of the Triune God, in deeper ways.

Added to our Bible teachers and pastors , one strong influence had been the morning devotional guide, we were using for over twenty years. ( Every Day with Jesus, CWR, UK). It was introduced by a close family member to us. Tremendous is the amount of sound biblical truths, we learn from it. From my personal reflections based on these truths regarding 'worship', comes this blog. It may be enjoyable to people like me, who have grown as children and youngsters, to adhere to rigid 'order of services.' in church worship . Worshiping in private and in church services have become dearer to my heart  and richer only in the past few years. Hence I am sharing!!

' Worship is the missing jewel of evangelical Christianity.'  (A.W.Tozer).I would say 'yes' to the statement made by Tozer.

The first Song we come across in the Bible, is found in Exodus Ch.15, the song of Israelites, under the leadership of Miriam, the prophetess and sister of Moses. It is a song of praise and worship. There is a thin line of demarcation between praise and worship. These two overlap many times, though we deem praise being attributed to God for what He does, and worship is directed to His nature and who He is, His character. The song of the Israelites celebrates the LORD, for what He has done to them and what He is going to do in the future for them. A touch of eternity is also there. For us, the body of Christ, 'worship and praise' become essential, to celebrate Christ's kingdom now and for eternity, as its citizens bought with the precious blood of the Only Son of God.

Revelations Ch.4 and 5 record five songs of worship,sung in Heaven, by all the hosts of heaven,24 elders saints from every kindred and tribe of the world, hosts of angels and the four living creatures. Rev. 21:26 talks about the people of the earth bringing glory and honour to the Father and the Lamb of God. Our experience here on earth is but a semblance of these eternal events.

WORSHIP means 'worth-ship', offering God His worth. It involves singing, uttering praises audibly and from the heart as we know very well. It does not stop here. Many times we start taking rest, once the sharing of the Word starts in the church. It is not so. We listen as God speaks to us by the Word, respond with spirit, soul and body and celebrate the Holy Communion also.

We find the people of Israel did celebrate in the desert that way, soon after Moses received the Law of the LORD from mount Sinai. They communed and dined. (Deut 12:7).  King David danced in the presence of the LORD. David instituted worship that was enjoyable, comprising of psalms set to music and accompanied by instruments. 'Praise is faith set to music; Singing praise expresses a prophetic and gospel content'. (EDWJ).

'Worship' has basic 'trust in God' as its foundation. Abraham told his servants, on the way to mount Moriah, " We will worship and come back to you." (Gen. 22:5). Unless he had trusted God's promise and His  faithfulness, this declaration of faith is impossible. St.Paul tells the church, " Offer your bodies as a living sacrifice to God..... be transformed by the renewing of your mind." (Rom. 12:1,2). Jesus told the Samaritan woman that " God is Spirit and they who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth". (Jn. 4:24).We understand that our whole being has to be involved in worship, spirit, soul and body.

 'When feelings for God are dead, worship is dead.' (John Piper). C.S.Lewis  has remarked ,' Worship is inner health made audible.' 'There can be no health in the soul if there is no worship in the soul.' (S.Hughes). 

Nothing can ever replace 'corporate worship'  in Christian church gatherings. It is the sum and substance of our coming together in the Lord's presence as a corporate body. 'Come let us worship and bow down.' I am reminded of a hymn we used to sing in our school prayers in the Sixties! It rings in my ears and swells within my being!!

O measureless Might ! Ineffable Love!
While angels delight to hymn Thee above,
The humbler creation, though feeble their lays,
With true adoration shall sing to Thy praise.       (Sir Robert Grant)

'I worship you , O Prince of Peace ! That is what I want to do . I give You praise, for You are my Righteousness; I worship You Almighty God, there is none like You .'