Welcome to the first ever QuèLog. What is a QuèLog, you ask? It is much like a blog but contains only questions. For this experiment (of unspecified duration) I've taken myself out of the drivers seat and replaced my position with you, the reader. I'll still be posting a brief description of the question, and occasionally, the reason behind the weeks question. If you find yourself still wondering what my personal opinion is on the matter, you'll have to look at everone elses in the mix of equally valid thoughts.
For the first of many questions to come, I saw this as the most fitting. There's many definitions. None are invalid. All are worthy of our consideration...So what do you think?
I've recently been reading/researching some possible group studies for my team and in the process stumbled upon this little gem. It's called Wired: For a Life of Worship (the most recent marketing of The Air I Breathe by Louie Giglio), and while it's not the first time I've read it, its the first time I've considered it in a community setting. Ironic that I should just now read it that way because worship, as it pertains to the corporate church setting, is always in community. Anyhow, Mr. Giglio starts this book with a quesiton:
How do you define worship?
For the first of many questions to come, I saw this as the most fitting. There's many definitions. None are invalid. All are worthy of our consideration...So what do you think?
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6 comments:
Traditionally, people tend to gravitate towards singing as a way to define worship. Through the culture of the church it has come to mean that - "Praise & worship." I think anything you do can be worship when your purpose is glorifying God. Certainly there are times in my life when I'm serving my family to the glory of God and that is worship. There are also times when I'm am not mentally present at church for the times of corporate worship, but my heart is not in it.
Expounding upon your answer Jessie...We are commanded to have only one God, and as a result everything we do is supposed to be for his glory. If we believe and act upon that as having only one God in our lives every single thing we do could be done as an act of worship to Him to bring him Glory and Honor. When we decide to "follow" Christ with devotion (or dedication) we will likely see more ways to worship Him than just music. (not discounting it in anyway ;) ...)
God has blessed some of us, like you Rob, with the ability to worship him through music and song. Others of us are are able to offer worship to Him through teaching...and all of us through serving...
Man, good stuff already. I'm digging what you guys are collectively saying. Worship is more a daily life thing than Sunday morning (or even Saturday night). I'll write more later, but great input so far!
Mr Giglio, author of the mentioned book defines worship as:
Worship is our response, both personal and corporate, to God for who He is and what He has done; expressed in and by the things we say and the way we live.
I really like his breakdown. The first phrase gets me every time. Our response. When I read that the first thing that comes to mind is Paul's letter to the Roman church. Paul is about to unleash his own breakdown of what worship can look like, but before he does he writes this in chapter 12,
"Therefore brothers, I urge you, in view of God's Mercy..."
Before he says anything, Paul gives me a little perspective. Before he urges me to turn my life upside down, change the way I see things...see people, he tells me to remember. Remember that I stand today as a man alive, in and through completely undeserved Mercy. If I can see things through that lens, I might be able to worship with greater accuracy.
While the previous comment sounds nice, I don't usually live in a world so cut and dry. I've defined worship as:
The constant expression of what I value most
Rarely does my constant expression place God as my highest value. I spend a great deal of time in frustration, weariness, doubt. I feel gravities constant tole and worry accessibly about the weight of my frequent foolishness. Sometimes, I get a moment of clarity, a glimpse of "His Mercy", and with it an opportunity to realign my priorities. Thankfully, I belong to a community that shares at least one of those moments every week. A moment of sweet clarity.
Worship is my inner feelings for God. But public worship is most expressed in chuch - for me the music. Being there and saying that I respect and love God.
Doing His will is worship.
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