True Worship (Hint, it's not about the music)

Maybe I'm the oddball of the ABA's online community, but I can worship in any true New Testament church, with any style service, traditional-upbeat, traditional-slow, contemporary-upbeat, and contemporary slow. I can worship singing "Unclouded Day," or while singing "Open the Eyes of my Heart."

I can worship during the preaching, during the prayer time, etc etc etc. I can worship in any setting, as long as I have prepared my heart to do so. If my mind is on other things, my finances, my kids, the tempo of the music, then my mind and heart are not focusing on God, therefore I can't worship.

You see, worship is not a good feeling during a song service. Enjoying music does not constitute worship, though worship involves music. Getting into the emotion of a worship service does not constitute worship, though worship does involve our emotions. No, worship is proclaiming God's greatness, His majesty, remembering what He has done for us and praising Him for it.

One does not have to be happy or giddy to worship the Lord either.

The Bible says in II Samuel 12 that when David found out the child (that was born of his and Bathsheba's adulterous affair) died, he got up, washed, changed his clothes, annointed himself and came to the Lord's house and worshipped. Do you honestly think he was jumping and clapping happily? I doubt it. I've lost a child, it takes a while to overcome that heartbreak. While David realized the finality of God's answer and moved on, he was probably still hurting. After all, he was a man after God's own heart, wasn't he? Do we not worship, even in the solemn occasions such as funerals?

But when things are well, it is appropriate that we should "Make a joyful noise unto the Lord." (Psalm 95:1). We should come before His presence with thanksgiving (Psalm 95:2).

We should bless His name and declare His glory among the heathen (Psalm 96).

We should rejoice in Him and see Him high and lifted up, reigning above all things. We should remember that He is in control (Psalm 97).

We should worship Him, because He is victorious. We should worship Him with all that we have (Psalm 98).

How? By remembering His greatness, His power, His awesomeness, the way He has blessed us, and how He is going to bless us and take us to be with Him in His kingdom. Read the Psalms. They are great examples of true worship... exalting the Lord for Who He is, and what He does. That is true worship.

There are those who believe that the American Baptist Association has dried up, that we no longer know how to worship. If the ABA ever forgets how to worship, it will not be because we are singing out of the Heavenly Highway Hymnal with piano accompaniment, it will be because we forget Who God is, and how majestic He is.

And, if it takes a certain type of musical setting to get you to worship, then brother, you are not worshipping.

We get together on Sunday morning, and we worship as a group. We should also be worshipping every day. For where and when will you have the opportunity to declare God's glory among the heathen?

Worship, Remember Who God is, what He has done, what He is doing, what He will do, and glorify Him for it!