The heart of worship...

I love to worship… there is something about being able to come boldly to the throne of grace, (Heb 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.) knowing where God has brought me out of, thinking of all the blessings I’ve been given and turning it into praise to give back to Him. What an awesome thing, really nothing much in the grand scheme of things, nothing compared to the price paid for my sins. Yet in His love for us, to God it is something.

Worship- proskenuo- “to kiss towards” or to “turn and kiss” is the word used in the New Testament.

(Greek word proskuneo, derived from pros, "toward" and kuneo, "to kiss")

I know worship encompasses so much more than music, singing and praise. Sometimes I lose sight of that fairly quickly. Worship isn't something you can only do at church or with a worship leader. It's so much more...

I wish to worship in daily life, as a WAY of life. To die to myself, have Christ increase in me as I decrease, to have my focus be on someone other than myself, how very contradictory to my human nature. I am selfish by nature, I admit it. Yet when I truly sit and think about it, about God’s grace, His mercy, where He has brought me… it is true the rocks would cry out in worship, how could I not? True worship is to turn from myself and turn to God and see Him for who He is. How quickly I forget the unwavering, unconditional love, the faithfulness and grace of God in spite of the times I stumble, the times I purposely dig my heels into the ground, turn my back and refuse to see that the path I am on only leads to pain, suffering, and destruction for myself and/or others around me.

Imagine walking through life with an eternal perspective, truly seeing that this life is but a vapor. (James 4:14 whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.) Would earthly desires seem so important on the timeline of eternity? Would we invest so much in savings and stocks? (I am NOT saying that being wise with your earnings is a bad thing as long as it doesn’t consume you) Would we continue to strive and work long hours for the bigger house? The newer car? At the expense of our relationships? OR would we invest in the lives of our children? Our families? Our friends? Our spouses? Even complete strangers? Would we feel a sense of urgency? To love people into the kingdom? As opposed to nagging, begging, arguing or even threatening them in- how is that loving? How is that Christ like?

If my life is truly a vapor, and to be absent from the body is to be present with Christ (2 Cor 5:8) how much more should my focus be on Him on loving others as He has asked? How is it that I, at times, will still live my life in the mindset of just the here and now? How many times do I debate issues that in the grand scheme of things do not matter? Do I stress about the trivial? When I should be cherishing my loved ones, caring for those that need it. When I could be worshiping God in everyday life, in my thoughts, my actions and my words towards others. Lord help me to decrease while you increase… Help me to truly seek your face… Help me to honor you and thank you for your grace and mercy during the times I fail.

A thousand times (from the inside out):
A THOUSAND TIMES I've failed,

Still Your mercy remains.
And should I stumble again,
still I'm caught in Your grace.
Everlasting,
Your light will shine when all else fails.
Never ending,
Your glory goes beyond all fame.

Your will above all else,
My purpose remains.
The art of losing myself
In bringing You praise.
Everlasting,
Your light will shine when all else fails.
Never ending,
Your glory goes beyond all fame.

In my heart, in my soul,
Lord, I give You control.
Consume me from the inside out, Lord.
Let justice and praise
Become my embrace,
To love You from the inside out.

Everlasting,
Your light will shine when all else fades.
Never ending,
Your glory goes beyond all fame.
And the cry of my heart is to bring You praise,
From the inside out, Lord,
My soul cries out.

Joel Houston
Copyright © 2005 Joel Houston/Hillsong
Publishing/kingswaysongs.com