The Christian Iife | a 6-Day Skate Church Movement Devotionalનમૂનો

What is worship?

“But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way.” John 4:23

Have you ever wondered what worship is? Why do Christians gather and sing songs of praise and admiration to God? It’s easy for someone who doesn’t truly understand the art of skating to give praise to a mediocre trick. To them, it’s all amazing, well executed or not. Before knowing much about skating, my friend showed me a clip of a kickflip he had done down a set. My immediate reaction was to give him praise, but I was caught off guard when his response was, “Nah, that was trash.” He understood that the kickflip was not executed to its full potential and, in turn, wasn’t something he was proud of. In the same way, when we don’t understand the full reverence of God, we don’t understand why He is truly worthy of being praised.

Worship has been part of my life for as long as I can remember. Growing up, I always had an instrument at arm's reach, and although at that time I wasn’t as proficient, the sounds of a piano or a guitar intrigued me greatly. At church, the worship team would play worship songs to God, and I would stand there and watch as these people would pour out their hearts in reverence.

In the English language, the word “worship” comes from “worth-ship.” To think of something or someone as worthy to be praised and, as a result or overflow, we exalt that thing above ourselves. Biblically, worship is described as being in reverence and awe of God. (Hebrews 12:28) To see Him for who He really is: a loving, good, and amazing God, who has been with us since the very beginning.

Worship is deeper than just an expression of praise through music, though; it starts in the heart. In the beginning of Matthew 15, we find Jesus rebuking the religious leaders of the time because of their hypocrisy towards the commandments of God. They would say with their mouths that they were honoring God, but their hearts testified against them. (Matthew 15:8-9) We see that worship, without the inner belief of what you outwardly express, is vain or useless. Jesus again says in John 4:23, “But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way.”

The kind of worship that God desires comes from a truthful heart and a spiritual life. When you inwardly believe in the goodness of the Lord and all that He has and will continue to do in your life, not only will you be worshiping correctly, but it will overflow into an outward expression of worship that will be true and authentic. It’s a worship that will not be constrained to a church setting, but one that will follow wherever you go. From your home, your work, and even the skatepark, true worship takes the attention off of our busy and stressed lives and places our attention and focus on Him. It’s a time when we can rest and meditate on the sovereignty of God and pour out our hearts in front of His gracious throne, for His glory alone.

Pushing Further

1. Think about your day-to-day life. What are some things that you exalt or focus on more than God?
2. If you do worship God, is it coming from a heart that believes in what you’re saying?
3. What do you think it can look like to worship while skateboarding?