The Action of an Attitude

"Boy, I really worshiped God yesterday."

What images immediately come to mind about what actually went on yesterday? What action? What location? What day? What really went on? The most common response is likely that this person was in a Sunday morning worship service, and the music being sung and played was especially moving in some way. And there's nothing particularly wrong with that. But it is probably the image most people envision in response to this statement.

We know well that "worship" is not equivalent to "music." (Even knowing that, we still often use the word "worship" to refer specifically to worship music, and then usually in the context of a Sunday morning gathering.) But even understanding this, though, some would say that although it's not the music, it is the emotions behind the music: the standing, the hand raising ... you know, really feeling it. That's worship - when you really feel it. And some people really feel it much more than others (who apparently, worship God less).

We often confine worship to Sunday morning. We even call it a "worship service." That's not an incorrect term, but then we end up saying odd things like, "Let's begin to worship." We're not worshiping, we're not worshiping, we're not worshiping ... wait for iiiiiiiiitttt ... NOW! Now, we've begun to worship! And then we'd better be "done worshiping" before the Baptists take all the good tables at the restaurants.

Those who don't particularly get into music have to then come up with apologetic excuses, like "I worship God in my own way." Because, you know, I can't seem to do it the right way.

The most common Greek word used in the New Testament that we translate "worship" means "to bow down, to prostrate oneself, to kiss the hand." There are two parts to this: the attitude (humble reverence toward someone) and action (bowing down). Nothing about music, a certain time of the week, or a certain building. Worship is the action of an attitude. Not necessarily a physical bowing down; rather, an attitude that's never just an attitude, but one that ends up in an action that expresses the attitude.

Singing is in fact one of those actions of worship - unless that singing has little to do with the attitude of bowing down to God. In fact, if "worship music" becomes about you having a particular feeling, it's not bowing down to God much at all. Rather, it's bowing down to a feeling. Having intense feelings while truly worshiping God through music is all well and good - I often feel that, and there's nothing wrong with enjoying that feeling. But when the feeling becomes the objective, we've switched what we're bowing down to.

The action of an attitude. Going to work and doing your job because you bow down to God and do your work because it advances His purposes in the world is a form of worship. Going to work to get a paycheck so you can buy things is not worship. Volunteering with Awana because people tell me you're good at it is not a form of worship, but serving in Awana, even enjoying it, because it's a way to bow down to God is. Trying to share something about Christ with your neighbor because of your awe for God is worship; sharing because you're supposed to is not very worshipful.

To say "I worship God" means that I live out an attitude of awe, reverence, respect, and honor. I do in order to demonstrate His great worth. I draw attention to His greatness with singing, learning, teaching, working, serving, helping, loving, and bearing witness. My actions reveal an attitude that God is awesome. "Worshipers of God" doesn't describe singers and it doesn't describe people with right doctrine. It describes people who live out awe.

I hope I will never begin to worship. I would like to think I've already started, and that I'll never stop. And I hope I'll continually get better at it.