The Privilege of Worship

[little_tigress]

Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;
bring an offering and come into his courts.
Worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness;
tremble before him, all the earth. - Psalm 96:8-9

I could easily quote that full chapter. But I thought this post would get wordy enough without that. Go read it, though. Its beautiful.

Its something that hit me this morning in church.

There's a very common argument amongst nonChristians that for a God to demand worship of His people is to be extremely selfish, self-involved, and controlling. But they've got it all wrong.

Worship is a privilege. Its commanded to all to recognize just who this God is that the Bible describes simply because there is no other being like Him. He's the Creator of Heaven and earth. Every part of nature that you see around you, He is responsible for. He's the Creator of each and every one of us. He was personally invested in our own creation and birth (Psalm 22:9, 139:19). And He loves each and every one of us so much that He sent His own Son to die in our place. Thats how much He wants to have a personal relationship with us.

Its not to satisfy some misplaced egomaniacal sense of self to command us to worship. Its a call for us to recognize just who He really is. And when we do recognize that, the only real response can be worship.

If the Holy Spirit has enlightened us so that we may truly know Him. Then to worship Him is a special gift that we really should never take for granted.

(though I, I shamefully admit, often do. And am so thankful for His grace during those moments)