Worship starts with a thankful heart. There are many forms. Singing praises is always the one that comes to mind for most. Raising your kids with a thankful heart, is a form of worship. Tithing with a thankful heart, is a form of worship. Serving the church with a thankful heart, is a form of worship.
Work is also a form of worship. I used to think that I needed to work in the ministry to truly spread the gospel. I was way off base. The point isn't to bring all the Christians into a collective group. We are supposed to bloom where we're planted, so to speak. You may work in retail, drive a semi, or run the cash register at McDonalds. Wherever you go, you're living a silent sermon that tells the rest of the world of the love of Jesus.
Colossians 3:17 says whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
I am a hospice nurse. One day I was called to see a patient. I was asked to help him get out of bed and ready for his day. I arrived at the facility, met the patient, and his wife. The patient was unable to care for himself at all, so it was clear that I would have to help him with all personal care. His wife was honestly one of the rudest people I had ever met. She told me what to do every step of the way, but didn't lift a single finger to help care for her husband. She made snide comments about the way I did things, even where I placed things, because it wasn't exactly how she would do it.
After assisting her very nice husband with his activities of daily living, and to his recliner, his wife told me to make his bed. She didn't ask me, and she didn't even tell me politely. I couldn't believe that someone would speak to another person this way. I walked into the bedroom. She had two twin beds pushed together. A giant blanket was at the bottom of the two beds. I smiled to myself and got to work. I already knew how I was going to stick it to her. I was going to make "his" bed exactly like she told me to. I wasn't going to touch her little twin bed. She could make it herself. I smirked the whole time I was making his bed. I finished and started across the room. I got to the doorway and looked back, to admire my work.
Then I felt that familiar tug at my spirit. He said "Who do you belong to?"
He was right. People can treat me how they wish, but I am a child of God. I was made to infect the world with His love and grace.
I walked back over to the bed, I made the other side up, just as nice as my patient's side. I walked back out into the living room, and said goodbye to my patient. I said goodbye to his wife as well, with a smile, and told her to have a wonderful day. She never said a word back to me. I left their home and went back into the world.
Worship isn't always easy. It requires real sacrifice. Worship will always cost you something. Whether it be money, time, or even pride.
Ultimately worship isn't any one event. It's a lifestyle. It's to live your life in obedience to God, while giving Him glory with, you guessed it, a thankful heart.
Work is also a form of worship. I used to think that I needed to work in the ministry to truly spread the gospel. I was way off base. The point isn't to bring all the Christians into a collective group. We are supposed to bloom where we're planted, so to speak. You may work in retail, drive a semi, or run the cash register at McDonalds. Wherever you go, you're living a silent sermon that tells the rest of the world of the love of Jesus.
Colossians 3:17 says whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
I am a hospice nurse. One day I was called to see a patient. I was asked to help him get out of bed and ready for his day. I arrived at the facility, met the patient, and his wife. The patient was unable to care for himself at all, so it was clear that I would have to help him with all personal care. His wife was honestly one of the rudest people I had ever met. She told me what to do every step of the way, but didn't lift a single finger to help care for her husband. She made snide comments about the way I did things, even where I placed things, because it wasn't exactly how she would do it.
After assisting her very nice husband with his activities of daily living, and to his recliner, his wife told me to make his bed. She didn't ask me, and she didn't even tell me politely. I couldn't believe that someone would speak to another person this way. I walked into the bedroom. She had two twin beds pushed together. A giant blanket was at the bottom of the two beds. I smiled to myself and got to work. I already knew how I was going to stick it to her. I was going to make "his" bed exactly like she told me to. I wasn't going to touch her little twin bed. She could make it herself. I smirked the whole time I was making his bed. I finished and started across the room. I got to the doorway and looked back, to admire my work.
Then I felt that familiar tug at my spirit. He said "Who do you belong to?"
He was right. People can treat me how they wish, but I am a child of God. I was made to infect the world with His love and grace.
I walked back over to the bed, I made the other side up, just as nice as my patient's side. I walked back out into the living room, and said goodbye to my patient. I said goodbye to his wife as well, with a smile, and told her to have a wonderful day. She never said a word back to me. I left their home and went back into the world.
Worship isn't always easy. It requires real sacrifice. Worship will always cost you something. Whether it be money, time, or even pride.
Ultimately worship isn't any one event. It's a lifestyle. It's to live your life in obedience to God, while giving Him glory with, you guessed it, a thankful heart.
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