What is Worship?

When many of us think of “worship,” we immediately think of music — and stop there. While music is certainly an expression of worship, the concept refers to much more than that. Worship is actually just a strong sense of reverence for something — a respect, admiration, and/or devotion to something. We understand from the Bible that we were created as worshippers to worship God, but in our flesh, we often worship other things: relationships, financial security, ourselves. If we’re not vigilant, it’s easy to put those things as priority over all else. If we don’t worship God, we tend to worship something. It’s just how we were wired.

Worship, then, is not just music. Music is one means of expressing that reverence and admiration for God, but it’s not the only one. Of course, prayer can be another mode of worship, but even going through your day-to-day life with a reverence for the God of the universe and an amazement at Jesus’ sacrifice and love for you is worship. We are called in Romans 12 to offer up our bodies as living sacrifices as an act of worship to God:

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies bas a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.

Romans 12:1

Any time we serve others in Jesus’ name or simply marvel at God’s goodness, we worship. Any time we thank Him for what he’s done or repent of our sins, we worship. Any time we bring our tithes and offerings, we worship.

Consider how you might bring your own attention back to God throughout your day and center your heart on worshipping Him not just on Sunday mornings, but throughout the week.