Rooted in WorshipSample

Rooted in Worship

You were born to worship. There is nothing more natural to a human being than worship. The question is not whether you are a worshipper. The question is, who or what do you worship?

American pastor and theologian John Piper has defined worship in this way,

“The inner essence of worship is to know God truly and then respond from the heart to that knowledge by valuing God, treasuring God, prizing God, enjoying God, being satisfied with God above all earthly things. And then that deep, restful, joyful satisfaction in God overflows in demonstrable acts of praise from the lips and demonstrable acts of love in serving others for the sake of Christ.”

Worship begins in the heart. These deep heart roots of worship include:

Valuing God

Treasuring God

Prizing God

Enjoying God

Being satisfied with God above all earthly things

At the core of each of these is relationship. As our relationship with the Lord grows, we begin to value, treasure, prize, enjoy, and find true satisfaction in him. The joy of this relationship overflows into a lifestyle of worship. We have the opportunity to praise him with our lips and praise him by bringing his love to others.

"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." (Matthew 22:37-40)

Every action, moment, decision, and relationship can become an opportunity to express our love to the Lord.

Worship is love expressed.

If you are anything like me, you may find that life often runs at a breakneck pace. If I am not careful, I will allow my schedule to be so full that I do not set aside meaningful time with the Lord. We often give God the leftovers instead of the first fruits. This is not all by accident. The enemy wants nothing more than to turn our attention away from God. The enemy loves to redirect our worship.

Our hope for you during this series is that you will enjoy a deeply satisfying time with the Lord each day and that worship- love expressed- will come from the overflow of your abiding time with Jesus.

Reflection:

Today, as you read Psalm 34, look for ways David expresses his love to the Lord. As a follow-up, consider writing your own Psalm of praise to the Lord to express your love for him. Share a line or two with a friend, family member, or with your group.