During Lent, we tend to focus on the self-denial or “giving something up” part of Lent. While that focus is certainly important, we often forget that the Sundays of Lent are feast days, where our self-denial and fasting are to be set aside to focus on worship, but do we really understand what worship is? When we speak about worship in this sense, it is a verb, an action word. It is a way of life, not just something we do for an hour or so on Sunday morning. The way that I often simply think about the definition of worship is to “show reverence and adoration” to God. When we are reverent before God we show honor and respect for who he is, which also drives our actions, attitudes, and behaviors.
As we try to understand this idea of worship, I find Jeremiah 1:5 (NIV) helpful. “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” This imagery of God knowing us so intimately before we were even considered a human gives us a unique perspective on just how much God loves and cares for us individually. We serve a God who pursues us, even when we are turning our backs to him. God made us, just like he made everything else around us. One of the things that I have taken time to appreciate more in recent years is to take time and take in and enjoy the beauty of God’s creation. This simple act reminds me of how creative and truly amazing our God is, and it always ushers me into moments of worship with God in those quiet moments. It can be a sunrise or sunset. It can even be the look of ice-kissed trees in the winter. It is all glorious and beautiful.
If God created all of that, we also need to remember he shows the same creativity in each of us. There are not two of us the same, we are all created with our unique personalities, talents, and abilities. We need to remember that God is continuing to work in and among us. God gives us so many reasons to worship and it needs to be an all day every day attitude that continues to grow and build in our lives. I love the moments during the day when God puts something on my mind to pray for, in just a breath or a moment. I love the moments when we allows a conversation with people or a chance to pray with someone. I love when I see God’s grace and mercy being poured out in people’s lives or my own. God is working all around us, and it should give us cause to worship – to praise, respect, and adore God.
Let’s glorify and worship the King each day of our lives,
~ Pastor Todd