I was reading about worship in Foundations of the Christian Faith by Boice. My 'worship habits' during Sunday service bothers me at times. While we are singing praises to God, I have a hard time staying focused on God. I have to remind myself I am supposed to be in an attitude of worship, singing praises to our Savior, recognizing how awesome He is. It just seems I am easily distracted. I start watching one of the toddlers, I notice someone walking by, I remember I have to get milk on the way home, I notice a cat wandering in and out of church......Yes, that really happened, for those of you who weren't in church last Sunday.
I'm singing, but my mind is wandering. When I start concentrating on the words of the hymns and connecting with the fact that others around me are adoring Jesus, in my heart my attitude starts changing and I can be thankful of who God is and what He's done.
On page 591 Boice writes: True worship occurs only when that part of human beings, their spirit, which is akin to the divine nature (God is spirit), actually meets with God and finds itself praising him for his love, wisdom, beauty, truth, holiness, compassion, mercy, grace, power and other attributes. On this point, William Barclay wrote: "The true, the genuine worship is when man, through his spirit, attains to friendship and intimacy with God. True and genuine worship in not to come to a certain place; it is not to go through a certain ritual or liturgy; it is not even to bring certain gifts. True worship is when the spirit, the immortal and invisible part of man, speaks to and meets with God, who is immortal and invisible.
Boice also quotes C.S.Lewis who wrote: "As long as you notice, and have to count, the steps, you are not yet dancing but only learning to dance. A good shoe is a shoe you don't notice. Good reading becomes possible when you need not consciously think about eyes, or light, or print, or spelling. The perfect church service would be one we were almost unaware of; our attention would have been on God.
I enjoy thanking God when I go for a walk, noticing His wonderful creation, listening to the birds, or praising Him for bringing my kids home safely. Giving Him praise and thanks during the day for all things gives me a sense of peace.
As Boice writes: To glorify God is to acknowledge his worth-ship. We worship God, just as we glorify God, when we acknowledge his perfections.
Sue
