Deeper in WorshipSýnishorn

Day 9—Worship involves surrender

Devotional
Worship encompasses far more than just the singing of songs in a church service; every act of love and service can be an act of worship if your motivation is that of pleasing the Lord and bringing Him glory. Romans 12:1 (NIV) urges us to, “to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.” Surrendering to the Lord is a lifelong act of worship, and not merely something that happens at the point of salvation. Psalm 40 opens with David recounting how the Lord had metaphorically lifted him “out of a slimy pit,” giving him “a firm place to stand" (Psalm 40:2 NIV). Each believer has a story of how God has redeemed his or her life, stories they can call to mind to stir them to worship. But like David, your life is not just a story of redemption; it is a story of God’s transformation (Psalm 40:3 NIV), and David cannot help but praise the Lord for His goodness in David’s life (Psalm 40:5 NIV). Psalm 40:6-8 (NIV) shows the high value the Lord places on authentic surrender. In other words, He wants obedience rather than rituals and empty sacrifices. The Lord is not interested in watching you merely go through the motions of a worship service. He desires that you desire to do His will (Psalm 40:8 NIV) and offer every aspect of your life to Him as an act of worship.

Prayer
Father, today I surrender my life to Your will and purpose. Make me more like Jesus, I pray, Amen.

Application
Write a journal entry, logging as many instances as possible of when you have seen God redeem your situations, and praise Him for His involvement in your life. Kneel before the Lord and prayerfully consider which aspects of your life still need to be surrendered to Him.

Siân Rees