At a recent ladies' Bible study, the topic of worship came up. We agreed that worship wasn't just singing in church. But some of the women wondered how we can maintain a worshipful attitude while correcting our children or cleaning the house.
That's where the rubber meets the road, doesn't it? It's one thing to worship while reading an inspiring passage, singing in church, or hearing preaching that opens our eyes to truth about God.
But how can we carry that into everyday life? Cleaning, errands, traffic, and computer problems don't seem conducive to worship.
It helps to consider once again what worship actually is. I heard a preacher define worship as "worth-ship," ascribing to God His worth.
Dictionary.com defines worship as: "reverent honor and homage paid to God or a sacred personage, or to any object regarded as sacred; adoring reverence or regard."
Our Bible study is going through Isaiah using Tim Chester's Isaiah for You: Enlarging Your Vision of Who God Is. Chapter 3 focuses on Isaiah 12, which is an example of worship even though the word isn't used.
Isaiah had previously discussed God's great anger towards His people who had disobeyed Him and sought help from godless people rather than Him.
- Verse 1 thanks God that "though you were angry with me, your anger turned away, that you might comfort me.
- Verse 2 declares, "Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid; for the Lord God is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation."
- Verse 3 assures, "With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation."
- Verse 4 reminds us to thank the Lord, call upon His name, make known His deeds, proclaim His name among people.
- Verses 5 and 6 tell us to sing and make known His greatness and the glorious things He has done.
Thinking of who God is and what He has done for us turns our hearts to worship.
But what about those moments that seem contrary to worship?
We can do these things in the midst of traffic snarls, dusting, or waiting on hold on the phone. In fact, worship would redeem the time and change our mood and frustration. As we remember His salvation, our joy will overflow. As we remember who He is and what He has done, our hearts turn to praise. As we remember His greatness, we sing His praise with joy and tell others about Him. Those things can infuse all we do.
Since God is our strength and my song, we can ask His help and strength.
We have to remember, too, that worship is an act, not a feeling. After Job lost everything, "Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped. And he said, 'Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord'" (Job 1:20-21). In the psalms of lament, the writers acknowledge who God is even while pouring out their hearts to Him about their problems. In fact, it's because of who He is that they can tell Him what's wrong. They know that He cares and can be trusted to help.
Singing not only springs from worship, but it can lead us to worship. Sometimes when we come into church Sunday mornings from a busy week and the trials of getting ready that always seem to come up on Sunday mornings, we plop down in our chairs and don't feel worshipful. But once we start singing, our hearts are turned to God. We can do that at home, too. I love to have Christian music playing while I'm puttering around the house.
Another aspect of worship is yielding our whole selves to God. Romans 12:1-2 says, "I appeal to you therefore, brothers,by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship." When we give Him everything, we're acknowledging that He is worth yielding all to.
He redeems not only our souls, but our work. Elisabeth Elliot said in A Lamp for My Feet:
The job has been given to me to do.
Therefore it is a gift.
Therefore it is a privilege.
Therefore it is an offering I may make to God.
Therefore it is to be done gladly, if it is done for Him.
Therefore it is the route to sanctity.
Here, not somewhere else, I may learn God's way. In this job, not in some other, God looks for faithfulness. The discipline of this job is, in fact, the chisel God has chosen to shape me with--into the image of Christ.
We could substitute task, responsibility, or even ministry for the word "job" there.
When dealing with a fretful little one, we can appreciate God's fatherly care of us when we're fussy. When a child is being stubborn, we can be thankful for God's patience with us and seek His help to be patient with our children. We can remember that we're modeling parental love and care that our children will hopefully one day translate into their relationship with God.
When cleaning the house, we can rejoice in imitating His bringing order out of chaos. We're reflecting a God who does things "decently and in order" (1 Corinthians 14:40). We're caring for our family by creating a safe, sanitary place, and a peaceful home. When I've gotten irritated at how often things need to be cleaned, I sometimes think about God's patience in cleansing me every day.
When the car or oven or computer break down, it's a reminder that this world and everything in it is temporary. All we have is His, and we can trust Him to supply our needs. Meanwhile, we lay up treasure in heaven, where moth and rust don't corrupt and thieves don't break through and steal (Matthew 6:19-21).
If we regularly spend time reading and thinking about God's Word, reasons for worship and examples will come to mind throughout the day.
These things remind me of one of my favorite poems:
Lord of all pots and pans and things,
since I've not time to be
A saint by doing lovely things
or watching late with Thee
Or dreaming in the dawn light
or storming Heaven's gates
Make me a saint by getting meals
and washing up the plates.
Although I must have Martha's hands,
I have a Mary mind
And when I black the boots and shoes,
Thy sandals, Lord, I find.
I think of how they trod the earth,
what time I scrub the floor
Accept this meditation Lord,
I haven't time for more.
Warm all the kitchen with Thy love,
and light it with Thy peace
Forgive me all my worrying
and make my grumbling cease.
Thou who didst love to give men food,
in room or by the sea
Accept this service that I do,
I do it unto Thee.
---Klara Munkres
How can we worship during everyday, mundane, or even negative circumstances? By acknowledging His worth and doing all we do as unto Him.
How about you? What helps you keep a worshipful attitude in everyday life?
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