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There are several words used
for worship, the first is 'proskuneo' which literally
means 'to kiss toward' or 'to kiss the hand' or 'to bow
down'. It's the word for worship used to signify humble
adoration. The second word for worship, 'lutreuo' which
suggests rendering honour, paying homage, to idolize, to
love unquestioningly and uncritically. Practically every
religion has 'a call to worship'.
Our English word 'worship' literally means 'worth-ship',
whether it's an object, a person or even an idea. To
worship is to attribute ultimate worth to something, and
valuing one thing above all else. To worship God is to
recognise His worth or worthiness. To look to God and to
acknowledge something of the value of who He is. The
Bible calls this activity 'glorifying' God. It isn't
really a matter of whether we worship, but what or who we
worship. What do we value above all other things?
Mankind was created for worship, it's in our genes.
Worship is an integral part of human nature.
Dr A W Tozer said 'Worship is to feel in your heart and
express in some appropriate manner, a humbling but
delightful sense of admiring awe, and astonished wonder
and overpowering love, in the presence of the most
'Mystery', that Majesty which philosophers call 'The
First Call', but which we call 'Our Father Who art in
Heaven'.
In Psalm 95 there are two
verses in which is written: 'Oh come, let us worship and
bow down; Let us kneel before the Lord our Maker. For He
is our God and we are the people of His pasture, and the
sheep of His hand'. The margin says 'Under His care'.
The Message Translation of the Bible paraphrases these
verses:
'So come, let us worship: bow before Him, on your knees
before God, who made us! Oh yes, He's our God, and we're
the people He pastures, the flock He feeds. Drop
everything and listen'.
Let us consider in the light of our subject three men of
the Old Testament, Abraham, Moses and Job. Without
detailing each story let us look first at Abraham. Being
obedient to the call of God, on his way to Mount Moriah,
Abraham said to his young men, 'Stay here with the
donkey, I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and
come again to you.'
Abraham put physical
distance between the things of the day and worship. It
was communion, which was to be between Abraham and his
God alone. And so it should be with us today. Abraham
put distance between his employees, his work, the things
of the day; he said to them 'You stay here.' In this day
of business and planned timetables, and the often
referred to mode of work, eat, and sleep, we need to say
to the many things that legitimately call on us 'You
stay here I'm going to worship.' This was no flippant
instruction to his own soul. He did not abdicate his
responsibility to the order of things, for he said,
'...and come again to you'. This was his faith. He was
not negligent of the things that needed his daily
attention, but for that time he put them aside in mind
and heart, and for him it was a coming apart physically as
well.
Moses was a man who spent
forty years thinking he was somebody, forty years
discovering he was nobody and forty years discovering
what God can do with a nobody. It was the day 'of the
burning bush', and he turned to see the sight which
attracted him. The Lord said to Moses 'Take off your
shoes, for the place where you stand is holy ground.'
Moses was to see God as a holy God. A God who is worthy
to be worshiped. He took off the things that were
related to work. Sandals were meant for walking and
working. He paused, he stopped, he harkened, and Holy
God communed with man. When Moses returned to the people
to report his experience, their immediate response was
'and they bowed their heads and worshiped'
Then we come to a man who
was probably born before these, Job. He received news,
and it was tragic news. I remember speaking to a lady
some years ago, and as far as I was aware she was not a
church goer. She was a farmer's wife, had grown up
children, never had any problems in life, and had no
financial worries. Everything had always been good. That
was God's continuing grace and mercy to her. However,
the majority of us receive at some time in our lives,
news that is beyond our understanding or explanation.
'News from afar.' Perhaps a death in the family or of a
close friend. Job received news of his farm being raided
and some of his servants killed.
Then more news of a natural catastrophe, in a storm,
lightning had killed his sheep and more of his servants
had lost their lives. And it happened again. He lost his
sons and daughters, and in another storm – a tornado
had ripped through one of his houses and killed his
children.
News...that phone call, an e
mail, a letter, a message passed. News that demands an
answer but none is given.
Now when Job received the news of what was happening 'he
tore his robe and shaved his head, fell to the ground
and worshiped, and said 'Naked I came from my mother's
womb and naked shall I return there. Blessed be the Name
of the Lord.'
The verse inscribed on the gravestone belonging to our
first child who died at 3 years, 'The Lord gave and the
Lord has taken away, Blessed be the Name of the Lord'.
The gift was given and taken. Job, in a simple act of
worship came naked in heart as he bowed before His Lord.
He came with nothing more and nothing less than his bare,
open heart, and he worshiped.
Abraham Moses and Job bowed in awe before their Lord.
What is worship? It is something of the deep communion
between the The great I Am, and we who come and kneel in
our hearts before Him.
The Catechism states 'The chief end of man is to glorify
God and to enjoy Him forever'
Recommended reading 'What Happened to Worship' by A W
Tozer. |
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