Worship – Forget You, Remember God

the-rock-family-worship-center

When you hear the word “worship,” what do you think of?

Maybe someone idolizing a pro football player. Or an ancient worshiper burning a bull on an altar to their gods.

I often think of Sunday mornings. In the past we called our church gathering a “Worship Service.” Many still do; it remains accurate. We do offer our worship to God there.

I know, though, that our worship extends past Sunday praise-singing. It’s Monday clothes-washing, and Tuesday dinner-cooking, and Wednesday pantry-serving, etc.

But still. Singing my worship on Sunday mornings starts the week with joy and peace and power.

I believe how David Mathis describes it in Habits of Grace is true:

“Like no other means, corporate worship combines all three principles of God’s ongoing grace: his word, prayer, and fellowship.”

But I don’t always feel full of grace at 8am on Sunday mornings when I walk in our church building to review the songs we’ll be singing.

Yet once I’m there, God pours grace on me before I get a chance to offer anything back to him.

  • Through his promises we sing about
  • Through melodious music he has inspired
  • Through other people worshiping beside me

As God reveals himself worthy of worship, it’s easy to give him praise. We lose sight of our own woes and gain clarity of Christ’s awe.

Self-forgetfulness and Jesus-awareness are heightened during worship.

“Worship is an end in itself. We do not eat the feast of worship as a means to anything else. Happiness in God [which is the heart of worship] is the end of all our seeking. Nothing beyond it can be sought as a higher goal.”
– David Mathis

Worship is a perfect way to start a day, a week, a life. And a perfect way to end one as well.

Worship now with “He Is Yahweh,” a song we’ve been singing with our church.

[click here if you can’t see “He Is Yahweh”]

VERSE 1
Who is moving on the waters
Who is holding up the moon
Who is peeling back the darkness
With the burning light of noon

Who is standing on the mountains
Who is on the earth below
Who is bigger than the heavens
And the lover of my soul

CHORUS
Creator God, He is Yahweh
The Great I Am, He is Yahweh
The Lord of All, He is Yahweh

Rose of Sharon, He is Yahweh
The Righteous Son, He is Yahweh
The Three-in-One, He is Yahweh

VERSE 2
Who is He that makes me happy
Who is He that gives me peace
Who is He that brings me comfort
And turns the bitter into sweet

Who is stirring up my passion
Who is rising up in me
Who is filling up my hunger
With everything I need

* * *

What do you think of when you hear worship? Do you have a favorite worship song that you sing with your church or at home? Please share in the comments.

15 thoughts on “Worship – Forget You, Remember God

  1. Bill (cycleguy)

    I have tried to get away from the “worship service” idea because I am trying to be intentional in worship being a lifestyle. but I certainly understand your point about the music part. There are times, even as a pastor, I don’t feel “right” when I get there. But the worship part kicks in and things change.

  2. Somer

    beautiful song. I like sitting down with hymnal sometimes and reading through the words. the poetry. My favorite hymn is a song I’ve never heard played in a church. It’s Satisfied. by Clara Williams. I love the words. I told my husband i wish he would play it acoustic.

  3. Valerie Sisco

    Lisa,
    I’m so touched by your lovely comment this morning on my blog that you are praying for our city — thank you so much!

    Your thoughts on worship are so appropriate to me now with everything we do as an act of worship in our jobs and our homes, as to God. So appreciate you!

  4. Jean Wise

    It not about us, is it? I try to remember that but fail often. Just this afternoon though I experienced about 20 minutes of deep peace just humming and singing old hymns. Lots of love in those lyrics – given to Him.

  5. floyd

    I like it all. I struggle with the worship songs that start as old hymnals and then add words and change the beats to new songs then jump back and forth. I like ’em both, but don’t like them mixed. Probably a me issue…

  6. Pam

    This is beautiful and so true, Lisa! Sunday at our church all the music we sang and worshiped with were from the Psalms….every single song! It was powerful! Very much enjoyed the song at the end!

  7. Sarah Donegan

    Picking a favorite worship song is like picking a favorite child: both depend on the mood I am in. 😉
    Honestly though, I think I like any song my girls and I are singing together!

  8. beth willis miller

    Lisa,
    I love this post! I so agree with you…love worshiping every day through Christian radio as I go about my day…love this quote, “Self-forgetfulness and Jesus-awareness are heightened during worship.” So true! Many blessings to you!

  9. Mary Geisen

    Thank you for the reminder of grace that God bestows through worship. I love the act of praising God in song. I love the beauty of knowing happiness in God is the heart of all worship and the end of all our seeking. Blessings!

  10. Terri Presser

    Thank you Lisa for sharing your thoughts on Worship at Darling Downs Diaries. I agree with you that starting the week with worship is great and that singing praises to God is a wonderful way to worship. Blessings to you my friend.

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