Worship...getting to the heart of it

Worship

This word has been spoken to me in several contexts as of late.

“I need to get something out of worship that I’m not finding right now” stated one.
"Please take a moment to respond to the Worship Vision Team questionnaire” the notice read. 
“I don’t need to go to church to worship” stated another.
“Our church has ‘contemporary worship’ and ‘traditional worship’ one proclaimed.
And it seems like each time I’ve turned on the radio as I have traveled I’ve heard the words being sung, “I’m coming back to the heart of worship…”

When something comes at me from different directions within a period of time I’ve learned HE is drawing my attention and it’s time to listen.  So, I’ve been spending some time standing still with “worship”.  Do I need to get to the core of the heart of worship?  What exactly is worship?

From the comments, conversations and observations, it would almost seem that the thought processes of quite a few lead to beliefs that worship is a ‘personal experience’ in that the focus is on “What type of worship suits me?  What do I enjoy? The experience I am looking for.  What do I get out of it? Is this meeting my needs?” 

It would seem that worship is a feel good activity that has become a self focused and self absorbed act - shrunk to be a small piece of our lives.
Isaiah’s words have caution for us, “The Lord says: “These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is based on merely human rules (29:13). 

Worship.

 

Meaning: to render religious reverence; homage; honor; adoration; praise; glorify.

The word itself comes from a form of “worthiness or worth-ship”. 

Truth is...there really is only ONE worthy of reverence, homage, honor, adoration, praise and glory. 

Perhaps as we discuss, consider and stand still with worship, we need to turn our focus from the ‘personal’ act or worship to the PERSON of worship, our LORD.

 I will be continuing to stand still with a few aspects of worship over the next few days.  As I do, it is my prayer  true worship  changes the worshiper – not just finding a heart for worship but a true heart of worship.

 

Nehemiah 9:6 - You alone are the Lord. You made the heavens, even the highest heavens, and all their starry host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to everything, and the multitudes of heaven worship you.

John 4:24 – God is spirit and His worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.
Psalm 95: 6 - Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker;
Hebrews 12:28 - Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe.