Do you worship?

I'm not asking if you participate in the Sunday morning worship service, I'm asking do you really worship?

I know we hear all the time that worship isn't just singing a few songs or really "getting into" a worship service, but really think about it, is what we are doing real worship?

True worship is a heart condition, it's not an emotion, expression, or outward gesture. Now these things are often involved when we worship, and in fact help us to express our heart to God, but these in and of themselves are not worship. Worship comes from the heart. Dr. Vernon Whaley from Liberty University said, "Worship is the response to revealed truth." When God makes himself real to you or reveals something to you, what is your response? Is it Joy? Is it a sense of overwhelming awe? Are you taken back that the God of the universe is speaking to you? Or does it even phase you?

The fact is, God is the truth that has been revealed. So, worship is our response to God. Worship is our gift to God. It's the small thing we can offer back to God for who He is.

With this understanding, what are you giving back to God? There are so many things we can give to God: Time, money, emotions, our hearts, our minds. The list could go on and on. It's really all summed up in one thing though, our lives. Have we given God our lives? Now, you may say, "Yes, I am a Christian," but that's not what I'm asking. I'm asking, have you given everything to Him?

See, worship isn't an experience, it's a lifestyle. Worship isn't something we attend, it's something we live. We have to examine EVERY area of our lives and see how we can give it to God, so that we can live that lifestyle of worship.

It simply amazes me that the huge, awesome God who speaks things into existence would not only allow me to know about Him (which is beyond what we could ever ask for in itself), and not only allow us to have a relationship with Him, but goes even a step farther to want a relationship with you. I don't know if you realize it, but that is an awesome privilege that God has given us that we do not deserve.

When someone does something for you or is something to you, how does it make you feel? What does it make you want to do? You want to do something back for them, right? And that's just a person. Think of God and who He is to you and what He has done for you. It should make you want to give back to Him.

I want to encourage you, starting today, in everything you do have a mindset of worship. Think to yourself, "How can I worship (or give back to God) in this situation?" And begin to live your worship out, so that your lifestyle will be one of worship!