Rick Carter, Bible Baptist Church, Gulfport, MS
Psalm 96:8-9
The word worship is very common in the Christian community today but I am afraid that we have so misrepresented it that most do not know the meaning. The word “worship” comes from a Hebrew word that means to bow down or to prostate oneself in submission. The bodily position was to be representative of the heart of the individual submitted to God. The New Testament equivalent is Romans 12:1-2.
True worship does not begin with our hands but our heart. The perquisite to worship is certainly salvation (John 4:24) and secondly a heart that is submitted to God in loving obedience. Jesus said, if you love me keep my commandments (John 14:15). When God created man He endowed him with the desire to worship and this worship was not entered into through singing but through giving.
The first family worshipped God through the giving of their offerings (Genesis 4:3-7), Cain and Abel had learned this from their father, Adam. Later in Leviticus 1-7, God enabled man to bring three offerings as an expression of his love and worship. They were the burnt offering, the meal offering and the peace offering. None of these offerings were required by God but they were offered in praise, thanksgiving and worship to God. As with everything of the Lord, Satan desired to pervert the worship of God and this he did through Cain. Cain wanted to worship God in his own way but God would not accept Cain’s offering and when God rejected his offering He rejected his worship. Worship that is not from a heart loving soul is despised by God. The prophet, Amos, describes worship being offered to God out of an impure heart, God said, “I hate it and I despise it” (Amos 5:21-24).
Each week thousands will assemble in churches for worship and they may sing and sway and do others things but until we are right with God in our heart and in our offerings, God is not pleased with that form of worship. Oh, worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.
