Seven Reasons to Worship Some years ago Christian author and thinker A.W. Tozer (1897-1963) wrote a book entitled Worship:The Missing Jewel." He observed that "God wants worshipers before workers; indeed the only acceptable workers are those who have learned the lost art of worship." As you read the following Biblical perspectives on worship, may you discover some of the many beautiful facets of the jewel of worship. 1. Worship is our Response to the Infinite Worth and Glory of God as Revealed in the Gospel. The result of receiving the gospel is genuine worship: "I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven having the everlasting gospel…saying, Fear God, and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment is come, and worship Him who created heaven and earth…" (Revelation 14:6,7). In worship we declare the worth of God as Creator: "You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created" (Revelation 4:11). I In worship we declare the worth of Jesus Christ as our Saviour. "Worthy is the Lamb who has slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength, and honor and glory and blessing" (Revelation 5:12). In Worship God Exposes our Sin and Provides His Remedy for Sin. All sin is rooted in a failure to worship God. "Although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened" (Romans 1:21,22). Worship exposes our sin. "I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up…and I said, Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man on unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts." (Isaiah 1:1,5). In genuine worship our sin is taken away. "Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a live coal…and he touched my mouth with it, and said: 'Behold, this has touched your lips; your iniquity is taken away, and your sin purged" (Isaiah 1:6). In worship we declare our trust in the sufficiency of Christ's redemptive work. "You are worthy to take the scroll, and to open its seals; for You were slain, and have redeemed us to God by Your blood…" (Revelation 5:8). Worship is an Affirmation of our True Identity. In worship we enter the realization of our true identity and self-worth as God's very own people. "Know that the Lord, He is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture" (Psalm 100:2, 3). In worship we let go of all our own attempts to establish our identity and self-worth through the worthless pursuits of idolatry – the attempt to find love and significance in all the wrong places. "For my people have committed two evils: they have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, and hewn themselves cisterns – broken cisterns that can hold no water" (Jeremiah 2:13). Let the keeping of the 7th day Sabbath be a joyful celebration of our identity. "…call the Sabbath a delight…you shall delight yourself in the Lord" (Isaiah 58:13,14). God has designed the Ten Commandments to affirm and protect our identity in Him: As we worship our One and only Creator-Redeemer God, we receive His image, name, and number. Through such genuine worship we overcome the beast (Revelation 15:1-4). Worship is God's Appointed Path to Wholeness. Jesus prescribed worship to the woman at the well as His cure for her dysfunction and brokeness. "…true worshipers will worship God in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such to worship Him" (John 4:23). Genuine worship makes possible the internalization of God's truths in our hearts. "Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts" (Psalm 51:6). Worship leads to the de-centralization of 'self'. "Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength, and honor and glory and blessing" (Revelation 5:12). Jesus Christ cannot receive these, unless we must give these to Him. Through worship we deal a deathly blow to pride and self-sufficiency. "I am the LORD: that is My name: and My glory will I not give to another" (Isaiah 42:11); "God forbid that I should glory except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ" (Galatians 6:14). Worship is an expression of love: "And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might" (Deuteronomy 6:5). In worship we process all our negative emotions: fear, anger, bitterness, vindictiveness, resentment, unforgiveness, discouragement, impatience etc. "Do not fret because of evildoers" (Psalm 37:1-40). Worship is God's antidote to all our fears. "The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid " (Psalm 27:1). In worship we let go vindictiveness toward all who have offended us as we trust that God will make matters right. "Plead my cause, O Lord, with those who strive with me; fight against those who fight against me" (Psalm 35:1). "Arise, O Lord, in Your anger; lift Yourself up because of the rage of my enemies; rise up for me to the judgment You have commanded (Psalm 7:7). Worship is the path to experience genuine joy and wholeness. "Delight yourself in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of Your heart" (Psalm 37:4); "In Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures evermore" (Psalm 16:11). "The joy of the Lord is your strength" (Nehemiah 8;10); "For You, Lord have made me glad through Your work; I will triumph in the works of Your hands" (Psalm 92:4). In worship we discover God's sufficiency for our every need. "My cup runs over…" (Psalm 23:5); "They are abundantly satisfied with the fullness of Your house, and You give them drink from the rivers of Your pleasures" (Psalm 36:7, 8).

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