worship

At its core, everything is spiritual.

Most people don’t believe this. That’s obvious by simple observation. Even if they said they did with their mouths, they would say something else with their lives. Even for Christians who have heard all about worship, this is a hard truth to flesh out on a daily basis. Take a few moments to ponder the following statements.

The way we behave on the job is an act of worship.

The grades we earn in school are an act of worship.

The way we treat our spouse is an act of worship.

The way we raise our children is an act of worship.

The way we handle our finances is an act of worship.

Historically we have tended to categorize worship as the “spiritual” part of our lives…as if some things were of God and others were not. We have always thought of going to church as a part of worship. But vacation days at work—that’s my business, not God’s. That’s not spiritual. It’s personal. Even when we’re in church we like to sub-categorize. Singing songs is certainly a worshipful experience. But listening to the announcements—that’s a perfect time to text friends and make lunch plans.

The reality is that all of life is spiritual. Every single aspect of our existence is built upon and sustained by God. I mean, even the food we eat is a reflection, isn’t it? If we don’t give a rip about the body God’s given us, we’ll eat and drink pretty much anything and everything. Who cares how it affects us, right? But, if we view our bodies through the lens of worship, it becomes something completely different. We’ll eat better because our body is the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19). We might even recognize the importance of exercise and regular periods of rest.

Women can certainly understand the importance of dressing in a way that brings glory to God instead of their own bodies. Men can readily comprehend the magnitude of leading their families closer to Jesus instead of the American dream. Children quickly comprehend how wonderful it is to give generously instead of hording it all to themselves. If you and I are followers of Jesus Christ, we have to come to this understanding as well. We have to acknowledge the fact that every thought, word and action points beyond ourselves. We are the representatives of Jesus Christ. So the real question is this: Does my life reflect my God? Do I look and act and smell and feel like Jesus? What kind of worship am I offering Him?

One ancient follower of Jesus put it this way. “I urge you, brothers [and sisters], in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship” (Romans 12:1). Our very body, our entire being, is offered to God as a sacrifice. This at-the-office or at-home or in-the-coffee-shop life of ours is what God wants. It’s not about who you are or what you do at some kind of church gathering. It’s who you are and what you do when no one else is around. A great translation of this passage in The Message Bible puts it very simply. “Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for Him.”

Worship is a huge, all-encompassing idea. It’s a little scary and a lot humbling to think about our huge God creating and caring for us. How can we possibly offer Him anything but a life of complete worship?! Holy Seed Community Church is a place of worship. That is how we have started and that is how we will continue. We will not conform to the pattern of this sinful, selfish, immature world, but will seek after and follow our God. We will fix our attention on Him and He will, in turn, transform us from the inside out. This life is not about us. It never was. This is about Jesus and bringing Him glory. After all, at its core, everything is spiritual.