407025348_640Over the past couple of months we’ve looked at the idea of worship. We discussed the what, the how, and even a little bit of where and when. But it’s easy to miss something when we forget the reason behind it all. That’s why to close out our topic on worship, we look at why. Why do we worship anyway? 

I personally believe that our reason for worship changes over time. Growing up, I did the whole worship thing because I had to go! I didn’t really want to go, but my parents saw a benefit in worship that I didn’t see at the time. When you rely on mom and dad for shelter and food you really don’t have a leg to stand on if you don’t want to do what they tell you to do. So I went to worship. Faithfully. Weekly. And I was the one who was readily available to do what needed done like light the candles and read if those assigned for that Sunday didn’t show up. I didn’t really do it because I wanted to. It was more a realization that if I’m here I might as well do something productive.

Oddly enough I still had this feeling when I started attending college and seminary studying to be a pastor. I knew worship was a good idea. I knew that God wanted us to worship but didn’t really know why I should be doing it. I even got to the point that I started to think God needed my worship. Boy that was a confusing journey! As if I can actually do add something to what God already has!

So if it’s not for our parents and it’s not for God, then why do we do it? 

It’s for us! I know that sounds super selfish but in reality we need the time in worship more than anyone else. We need to be around others who think, act and believe the same thing we do. We need to come to a time and place when we can unload our junk and lighten the load of our lives. We come to worship for the same reason sick people go to the hospital. Worship is where we get our treatment. If you think about the story of worship, this starts to all make a little more sense.

We enter at God’s invitation to a time and place, with other believers, to be put back together again. We don’t gather to put others down. We don’t come to this place to pick on other people’s sins. We don’t gather for worship to add to God or subtract from other people’s lives. We find ourselves in a time of worship for one purpose – we are broken and this is where/when/how we are put back together and healed.

I recently had a conversation with an individual who had made some poor choices in life. The number one concern was am I still welcome here (meaning in the church for worship)! I want to be completely clear in this moment. If you are broken, hurting, struggling, addicted, at the end of your rope, sad, lonely, or even having just a bad day – you are invited into God’s presence for a time of worship. Don’t let the fear of judgment prevent you from being restored in his presence. Don’t let the eyes of people who act high and mighty stop you from being the place and time where God wants to heal you.

The institution known as the church has done a pretty lousy job doing what God called us to do. We turn worship into a show when we make it all about the people leading. We make worship into a buffet when we take the parts we like and leave the parts we don’t. We turn worship into a club when we make about membership in an elite group. Jesus told us to seek those disconnected. He told us to restore the ones fallen. He commanded his followers to love all people, even – especially those who think and act differently. We’re to pray for those we call our enemies, not judge them and belittle them. Worship is about being made whole. Worship is a time for us to come together with one focus – Jesus.

If your time of worship is about hymnals more than heavenly blessings, your focus is wrong! If your focus in on the pastor instead of the master, you’re going about it all wrong. If you’re there for the performance instead of the presence of Jesus being renewed in you, then you’re missing out! If your worship is about what you bring instead of what he gives, then my friend who are you worshipping?

Remember worship is our response to God’s invitation. He initiates this whole process. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise! Bring your burdens and exchange them for the joy of knowing your savior. Lay your sins at his cross and take up the life he gives. Worship is about being restored in your relationship with Jesus.