The Heart of Worship: Secret Santa Worship Day

Don Merritt Don Merritt, , , , , , , , ,

Worship is such a huge topic; writing a blog post on “Worship” is a much more daunting task than I thought it would be at first. Whole books have been written on worship, there are magazines devoted to it, and oh yes, and people love a good argument on the subject.

I really don’t feel much like arguing today, and I don’t quite have the time for a book-sized post, not that anyone would read such a thing. So, with all respect for the proper technical definitions and academic discussions about the forms and categories of worship and all the rest of that stuff, I thought that I would simply share a little bit about how worship plays its role in my daily life. Now you must understand that as I do this, I’m not suggesting that your experience must, or even should be anything like mine, for God comes to us where we are, and in this respect, one size not always fit all. Rather, I hope that you might get an idea here, or maybe some encouragement to pursue His presence in ways that perhaps, you haven’t thought of before, if anything here makes sense to you.

The way I see it, worship has very little, if anything, to do with rituals or forms, even though it can be individual, in a small group, or in a large body of people; all are equally valid and important. Yet whatever the setting, worship is actually about a relationship, as opposed to a ceremony. You see, ceremonies are the inventions of men; there aren’t any “Christian rituals” in the New Testament that I know of!

Thus, for me, worship is all about spending time in His presence, at His feet, before the throne…

Sometimes, worship is a conversation in which I share my thoughts, feelings, challenges and/or questions or struggles with Him. Other times, I find worship to be found in serving other people, or sharing or in the message of the Gospel, or in giving. Yes, and sometimes I even find blogging to be an act of worship when I am sharing, in spite of my obvious imperfections, the Gospel or the Word with others.

Over the years, I have come to recognize that worship finds more situations, and takes on many more forms than I ever learned about in Seminary! Yet along the journey of a lifetime, I have also learned that worship is never found in certain situations, like when I am too busy feeling sorry for myself, or in times when I am fuming because I didn’t get my way in something, or when I am refusing to help another person. It isn’t found in a situation that I know I shouldn’t be involved in; you know, the ones when I’m off doing something I know I shouldn’t be doing. Yet, whenever I am doing something that I know to be part of God’s will or God’s purpose, such as sharing the Gospel, He is always there and I am engaged in an act of worship. I’ve come to the conclusion, after much thought and prayer, that this happens because worship is not supposed to be about me, what I want, or about my convenience, but rather that it is entirely about God’s will, God’s needs and expectations and accomplishing God’s purpose by serving others.

A reasonable person might read that last sentence and ask if worship is a difficult burden to carry through life, something that we must somehow do to please God, and to have over with. It doesn’t hit me like that at all, in fact it is the best of times in this life, for when we are worshipping God by living our purpose, the very purpose for which we were created in the first place, not only does He sustain us, but we are filled with an indescribable joy, the sort of joy that I, at least, miss when it isn’t there, the kind of joy I want to get back as soon as I possibly can.

That brings us back to the place where I began, talking to Him, a conversation, asking for people to serve, looking, listening and responding to His lead; for me, this is the heart of worship, whether corporate, small group or individual.

17 thoughts on “The Heart of Worship: Secret Santa Worship Day”

  1. Don

    I am quite amazed by the common vein of thought that is running through these posts today. That being the idea that it is much more than just that thing we do on Sunday mornings. This has been very cool so far.

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  2. Reblogged this on Photo Vistas and commented:

    Please be sure to visit Church Set Free today, for today is “Secret Santa Worship Day” in which all authors, contributors and several guests have been asked to post on “Worship” with each taking the topic in any direction they wish, and no one know what another will say about. It is sure to be both fun and illuminating for all. Here is my submission…

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  3. 🙂 Don, I have thought of re-doing my post over and over just because the topic is so vast. I’m a bir frustrated for all I have bubbling within me.
    Glad you covered a lot of it —- LOL
    I enjoyed your post. Thank you. 😀
    cate

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  4. Don, so thankful for your take on this, and so simply said: it’s all about relationship and “entirely about God’s will, God’s needs and expectations and accomplishing God’s purpose by serving others.” Kind of reminds me of James reminding us to ask for the right things. Huge topic, nicely done.

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  5. I agree with Sister Cate, the more I read, the more my heart is overflowing with —- WORSHIP!!! I am so thankful to the Lord for my brothers and sisters and their insights! Brother Don, you said it so well, “You see, ceremonies are the inventions of men; there aren’t any “Christian rituals” in the New Testament that I know of!” It sounds to me from what you are saying, is that worship is every bit a part of your life as say for instance, “breathing!” So many tend to make the “act” of worship so much more complicated when what so many are agreeing too, is that it is communion with our Lord through His Spirit. Whether, as you say, talking to Him, serving others, music, etc.!
    Most don’t realize this Brother, but we have restricted the Holy Spirit to the physical realm way too much for when Jesus stated that where two or three are gathered together in His Name, He would be in our presence. Many don’t realize that what we are doing today, is gathering together with the Lord and our willingness to Worship Him in thought and deed is fulfilling that circumstance. There truly is more than two or three “gathered” in His Name, be prepared to watch Him truly work through this Worship that we are giving and sharing!! God bless so much Brother!!

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  7. “Sometimes, worship is a conversation in which I share my thoughts, feelings, challenges and/or questions or struggles with Him.”

    I’m a hiker. I spend as much time as possible away from the noise and confusion of the city. That is when we have those conversations, and there are few time when I feel closer to Him.

    Thanks for sharing.

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