YOU, not me. YOURS, not mine.

I have always wanted to write about “worship”. But each time I would try to start, I find it too-complicatedly-wonderful-a-topic that I would end up just writing about something else. I think it’s because I see myself as a lifelong student in this area and I still have so much to learn. So everything in here will just be a glimpse of what “worship” is.

WORSHIP.

It’s definitely more than singing songs beautifully. If it is, then my worship would frequently be out of tune. I love to sing but I don’t have a great singing voice (it will get better in time, I know, hehehe!).

It’s far beyond just uttering (or writing) dramatic words of adoration, honor and love for God. Anyone can say or craft heart-piercing statements or songs, but still be far from God.

In worship services, we raise our hands, bow our heads, cry our hearts out, or even kneel down at times. These feel great! But there’s certainly more to worship than those.

The melody, the words, the tears and the worshipful gestures can be great expressions of worship but they’re just like the tip of the iceberg. The unseen, a lot more difficult part is what it really is: self-denial, obedience, and the resolve to yield to God’s will and ways no matter the cost.

Worship says,

“YOU, not me.”

“YOURS, not mine.”

“YOU lead, I’ll follow.”

 “Do YOUR will, have YOUR way – wherever it brings me, whatever it takes, right now!”

We worship when our actions say, “It’s all about You, God, never about me. So even it will make me unpopular or will go contrary to what people expect of me, as long as it will please and honor You, I will do it.”

We worship when we choose His will over our own – even at the expense of our own desires, convenience, questions and conditions. That could mean giving up something (or someone) you hold so dear, being in a place you’re afraid to go to, humbly initiating the talk with a person you’ve been avoiding for so long, doing that thing that doesn’t just make sense, forgiving even if it feels more right to do otherwise, and the list goes on.

We worship when our lives showcase the astounding beauty and love of God – in the words we say, in the things we do, in the decisions we make, in the work of our hands, in the way we treat others.

True worship is difficult. And here’s my main point: We can only worship by the grace of God! We are only able to do it as God reveals who He is to us. It is God-initiated, God-sustained, and God-directed.

Worship is both a motivation and an expression (to obey, yield, step out, and trust). But for always, it’s all about Jesus – His beauty, His unfathomable goodness, His awesome power, His unfailing love, His unending kindness, His sovereign grace, all that He is and He will be to us. It is never about us and what we can do for God. We are able to worship because of who Jesus is. We are therefore given the grace, wisdom, courage, faith, hope and love to do everything that pleases God the most.

Even the melody, the words and the gestures are from and because of Him.

Worship. Only Jesus. Always Jesus.

“Because of Your unfailing love, I can enter your house; I will worship at your Temple with deepest awe.” Psalm 5:7