“Honor the Lord for the glory of his name. Worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness.”

We were all made to worship.

Everyone can see this is true if you look at all the things and people that humankind happen to worship. Hero worship is everywhere. People worship sports stars, movie stars, rock stars, racecar stars, athletic stars, dancing stars, soap opera stars, motivational stars, political stars, and other stars in every walk of life. Some folks worship things like jewelry, cars, houses, and collector items. Other people worship nature, places like mountains, the seashore, and beautiful parks. Still other people worship money and credit cards. What do you think that tells us about ourselves? It tells us that we have a need to look up to someone or something, an innate, built-in need to worship. That’s a good thing when not misplaced.

God gives us a solid reason to worship Him.

All the other things that we worship are idols. Anything or anyone that we give power or value to is an idol, a manmade god, and that includes the worship of time. The manmade god may provide immediate gratification, but nothing that is lasting. The manmade god did not create us. We cannot trust a manmade god. A manmade god does not give us God’s truth. The manmade god does not give us a reason to live for eternity, and a manmade god does not forgive our sins. What does this prove? It proves that we want to worship. God built us this way so that we would worship Him, and He gives us so many good reasons to do so.

When Jesus came to earth, died for us, and rose again, He changed the old order of things. We no longer have to go through someone else to worship or stand behind a curtain. We may worship our Lord directly.

John 4:24 NLT:

“‘For God is Spirit, so those who worship Him must worship in spirit and in truth.’”

God is omnipresent.

He’s everywhere all the time, and we can worship Him wherever it is that we happen to be: walking, sitting, riding in a car, eating in a restaurant, lying down, in a plane, on a beach, or riding a chairlift. He welcomes all of our worship that is offered with a true heart.

Worship changes who we are.

When we worship, the Holy Spirit, which resides in each child of God, can go to work and change us. The act of worship gives our spirit a chance to commune with God. No one remains the same after spending time with God. Little by little, the Holy Spirit asks the Lord for the exact right thing that we truly need, even when we are not aware of what that might be. It may be realizing that we are not first, and it is not about us. It is and always has been about our Lord Jesus Christ. We worship him because of what He has done for us. He gives us the gift of forgiveness so that we don’t have to live continually in sin and guilt. Next time anyone is tempted to worship a person, thing, or place, remember the words of Jesus:

Matthew 4:10 NLT:

“‘Get out of here, Satan,’ Jesus told him. ‘For the Scriptures say, ‘You must worship the Lord your God and serve only Him.’”

We don’t have to do anything in particular to receive the gift of forgiveness.

We don’t have to continually work at a ministry to earn it. It’s a free gift that God gives us when we accept Jesus into our hearts. He alone can cleanse our hearts and consciences. He alone can give us eternal life, and He alone can release us from the grip of sin’s power. All we have to do is repent of our sins, and ask for forgiveness. Give me a better reason to worship Him than thanking Him for delivering us from sin. He alone makes us acceptable before God.

Hebrews 9:14-15 NLT:

“Just think how much more the blood of Christ will purify our consciences from sinful deeds so that we can worship the living God. For by the power of the eternal Spirit, Christ offered himself to God as a perfect sacrifice for our sins. That is why he is the one who mediates a new covenant between God and people, so that all who are called can receive the eternal inheritance God has promised them…”

Innocence: Simplicity of Spirit

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