In Foundations of Worship Part 1, I introduced worship as a work of obedience, submission and a life of sacrifice. Let us expand on this some more from another angle which is very familiar to us-the association between praise and worship-. The link between the two is real as most people think about worship along with praise.
Praise and worship complement each other but there is a difference which I will explain. Praise is recognising God for who He is: "you are holy", "your name is worthy", "no one can compare to you", "you are Jehovah Jireh, our provider".
Praise creates a space and purifies the atmosphere that allows holiness to exist within; "Yet You are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel" (Psalm 22:3).
God dwells in our praises. But worship takes us a step further. Worship does not just recognise the characteristics or the acts of God, worship acknowledges that He is God. Praise can be given to humans but worship sets someone as being sovereign over you.
Praise can set the mood or be used to focus on God. But as a mood you can be fooled and this is where most people are led astray. They have difficulty in understanding the relationship between praise and worship.
Both praise and worship can be done in song. In fact, most people only know it as song. But worship songs are different to praise songs. Each has a function and sometimes, songs of worship and praise are a distraction. When we hear a song that we like we sing it and forget the subject matter is God. The purpose of the song is not about becoming emotional or to get caught up with the music. Saints be careful you must NOT worship the songs.
Many people worship on emotion. Emotion is still about self, indicating that only when I feel to worship or have a particular emotion, I can worship God. This is not worship. This is a false emotion. This is why God desires true worshippers.
True worshippers are worshippers who worship truth. Our Father in heaven is the Father of Truth. What is the truth that we must accept? God is God all by Himself. He does not need us to be God. He is God with or without our emotion. God is not an emotion. Ha! He can raise up stones to worship Him!
A main scripture used to understand worship is:
“Believe Me, woman,” Jesus replied, “a time is coming when you will (proskuneo) worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You (proskuneo) worship what you do not know; we (proskuneo) worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. But a time is coming and has now come when the true (proskynetai from proskuneo) worshippers will (proskuneo) worship the Father in spirit and in truth, for the Father is seeking such as these to (proskuneo) worship Him. God is Spirit, and His (proskynountas from proskuneo) worshippers must (proskuneo) worship Him in spirit and in truth.” (John 4:21-24).
We have to go beyond our emotions and worship God. Our emotions are in the soul. We must settle in our spirit that Jesus is God. Our faith is in Jesus as the Son of the Living God who is our Saviour, Lord and Master! This must be embedded deep inside our spirit. We worship Him in spirit and in truth.
Worshipping God in spirit has different levels and worshipping Him in truth has different levels. I look forward to the continuation of this theme in more blogs to come.
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