“Give unto the Lord the glory due unto
his name: bring an offering, and come before him: worship the Lord in the
beauty of holiness.” – 1 Chronicles 16:29
God’s people have always gathered to worship. The Jews gathered for
Passover in Jerusalem, David danced before the Lord in the presence of all the
people, Ezra read the law in sight of all the congregation. Pentecost had
a hundred and twenty in the house, and in the establishment of the early
churches they were exhorted to assemble. The followers of Christ gather
to worship him.
Throughout the world we find elements of worship but not
the very thing itself. We see men and women gathering to a sports team,
band, or a specific person of fame. They show reverent love for that
person (or entity) and would gladly devote their time, money, and energy to
glimpse their glory. There are men who worship their women and women who
worship their man. The worship of money, recognition, government, ideals,
and patriotism are common as well. There are elements of worship without
the church as well as within the church. All too often the experience of “church”
(i.e. the songs, the crowd, the talent, the emotion, and the notion that unless
you have these things then you have failed to worship) is enough; never mind if
Christ is glorified, or God magnified. We find elements of worship, but
false worship, counterfeit. So, one could argue no worship at all.
Worship is not a production or theater; it is the flower seeking to bask in the
warmth of the Son Jesus Christ. The mountains climb to touch the
heavens. It is the whole of our existence endeavoring to give glory unto
the Lord. Granted, what is within may well produce what is without, i.e.
singing, praying, rising of hands, rising emotion, etc. But that is not
the emphasis. It cannot be, else one day your worship will run dry, and
turn false. Thankfully, God gives us direction and he calls us to worship
“in Spirit and in truth”; he calls us to “worship the Lord in the
beauty of holiness”. God is worthy of this worship. There is
tremendous value in meeting, praying, singing, and preaching. However,
the emphasis and validity of worship doesn’t rest completely on the
gathering. True worship must be an inward experience before it can be an
outward one.
The beauty of the earth testifies to the glory of
God. The majesty of it all bends to God's will in worship. The
magnificence of creation displaying and proving God’s mighty hand. What
the creation is without, holiness is within. The beauty of holiness
within testifies to the glory of God. Not choosing your own way, or
seeking your own pleasure, but the surrendering of your will to Christ; and
gladly so. Offer yourself a living sacrifice, so that God can get glory
out of your life. This genuine experience of the heart brings about
genuine, true worship and it manifests itself when we gather. It
manifests itself because we have been in prayer, in devotion, in study of
scripture, in good works, in testifying to the Lord Jesus, in loving our neighbor
and living the scriptures. Then when we are at times singing,
lifting our hands, testifying of Jesus’s goodness, preaching with faithfulness;
the Spirit of God sanctions the worship and inhabits our praise. It is
something that cannot be manufactured, only manifested. Manifested
according to God’s divine will. Thank God for true worship!
Collectively, individually, within and without. Thank God for
worship. Glory To His Name!
