
Prayer, fasting, praise, meditating on God’s word, reading God’s word, studying God’s word, listening to God’s word in preaching, going to church to seek God’s presence, serving at church, witnessing to someone about Jesus, talking to others about Jesus, living for Jesus, walking the walk and talking the talk, obeying God’s word (being a hearer and a doer), helping to hold others accountable to God’s word, serving God and all these for the Glory of God! Anything you do for the Lord and for His glory is an act of Worship. Simply put, all we “do” in worship is reach to have an encounter with the ONE who loves us. These disciplines create a sweet smelling “aroma” that is pleasing to the Lord. (Ephesians 5:1-2 NLT) Throughout the O.T., every time an offering was made on the altar to God, it was said to be a sweet smelling aroma to Him, if it was done correctly and the way He had instructed. As Ephesians 5:1-2 expresses, in the New Testament, living a life patterned after the example of Christ is the source of the aroma. Being a “living sacrifice” (read Romans 12:1)
What worship is NOT. It is not feeling chill bumps, it is not the act of singing, it is not just attending church, it is not feeling good in a church service, it is not hearing your favorite song, it is not having a preacher preach you “happy” or make you feel better; as a matter of fact, it is not about our feelings at all! If we are not careful, we can reduce worship to saying: “Pastor, praise team, worship leader, help us FEEL IT, and when you do certain things to help us FEEL IT…keep doing that!” That, is not worship. The risk is beginning to believe we know HOW to do it…so we “DO THAT”. Here are the problems with that:
- The Pastor, praise team, worship leader or music are NOT the source of the “Aroma”.
- We cannot manufacture or manipulate the aroma.
The source of the Aroma is God. It is what He has done in us and what we have allowed Him to do through us that brings Him glory. When we begin to allow God to work in and through our lives unlike anyone or anything else. Reserving our mind, body, soul, and heart to HIM and HIM alone, then we are beginning to understand worship. (Read Exodus 30:32-33)