Worship

An ongoing discussion among many believers today concerns the nature of worship. The basic difference is whether everything one does is worship, or is it only something done at a specified time and in a specified way?  Which is it? The first thing to consider is a definition.  The original languages of the Old and New Testaments have several different words translated worship.  The basic idea in all of them is bowing down before, or prostrating oneself before.

An example of worship from the Old Testament is found in Genesis 22. Abraham was instructed by God to offer Isaac as a burnt offering at a location God would later reveal to him.  After arriving at the place chosen by God Abraham said to his servants, “Abide ye here . . . I and the lad will go yonder and worship, and come to you again” (Genesis 22:5).  Was Abraham worshiping God all along the way as he journeyed toward that mountain?  Clearly not, since he stated we “will go yonder and worship” and then when worship was completed they would return.

Another example is found in Jesus’ conversation with the woman at the well in John 4. The woman said to Jesus, “Our fathers worshipped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship” (John 4:20).  Note the difference between the Jews and the Samaritans was where worship should be offered to God.  If everything were considered worship then the location would be unimportant.

Jesus answer to the woman revealed the physical location is not important.  What is of importance in worship is whether it is offered “in spirit and in truth.”  Jesus responded, “Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. . . . the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for such the Father seeketh such to worship him” (John 4:21,23).

Today we can worship God in Clemmons, N. C. or Managua, Nicaragua, or anywhere else in the world.  But that worship requires we stop our normal routines of the day and focus our attention on the object of our worship, and offer that worship in truth. That is how Abraham worshiped and it is how we are to worship.

—Denny