Made to Worship
"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
The word “worship” derives from the Old English version, “worthship,” because it means to give worth to something or someone.
We were designed to worship. We see this innate trait manifest in different ways: when people root for a sports team, when teenagers put up posters of celebrities in their room, when people prioritize making money by any means, when people find their entire identity in an interest or hobby, when adults attend political rallies, when parents spoil their kids, when people hyperfocus on their bodies through health and exercise, etc.
If you take an inventory of your life, you could probably pinpoint quite a few things that you ascribe worth to (To clarify— there’s nothing wrong with being a steward of blessings!)
But, as long as your worship is directed toward anything other than Jesus, you will miss out on the fullness of life. You’ll keep seeking and searching for something that is fulfilling, but it will always fall short. Sports teams lose, celebrities are strangers to you, interests change, kids disobey, politicians don’t keep their promises, money comes and goes, our bodies get old…
St. Augustine wrote, “You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it rests in you.”
This is why it is critical to evaluate where your heart is oriented.
You can know if your heart is oriented toward Jesus because you will have His peace that passes understanding, no matter what happens. This is because your hope is found in Jesus, not in the things of this world
If, on the other hand, your heart is oriented toward something earthly, you will have a hard time finding that peace. Your circumstances, which change like the wind for good or bad, will interfere with your peace.
What makes Jesus worthy?
First of all, someone who is worthy of worship doesn’t have to beg or prove themselves worthy of worship. Instead, their being INDUCES worship that can’t be controlled.
In Revelation, we get the view of the throne room of heaven where angels and believers worship God without end. Being in His presence, one can’t help but worship Him.
Like staring at a sunset or watching the waves pull in and out on the shore, it invokes our awe. It’s not something that has to be forced; its mere existence kindles wonder.
All that being said, Jesus won’t have to force anybody to worship Him. It will happen naturally.
Philippians 2:9-11 says,
“Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Second of all, the unique and unchangeable character of God makes Him the only One worthy of true worship:
He is the Creator of you and everything else (Rev. 4:11)
He is our Redeemer (Rev. 5:9)
He never changes (Hebrews 13:8)
He is relational and caring (1 Peter 5:7)
He is the only perfect One (Matthew 5:48)
He is faithful and keeps His word (Rev. 19:11)
He judges evil (Rev. 19:11)
How do we worship God?
We worship Him with literal singing and music: “Make a joyful shout to God, all the earth! Sing out the honor of His name; Make His praise glorious. Say to God, “How awesome are Your works! Through the greatness of Your power Your enemies shall submit themselves to You. All the earth shall worship You and sing praises to You; They shall sing praises to Your name.” (Psalm 66:1-4)
We worship Him by living for Him: “Whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” (1 Cor. 10:31)
We worship Him by seeking Him: “And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.” (Heb. 11:6)
We worship Him by loving others: “Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” (1 John 4:11)
Worshipping God is NOT being a “good” Christian on the outside.
In Matthew 15:7-9, Jesus rebukes the Pharisees: “‘These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’”
Hosea 6:6 says, “For I desire mercy and not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.”
God doesn’t desire religiosity. He doesn’t want people who go through the motions thinking that they are pleasing Him. He doesn’t want outward actions without your heart too. He wants you to know Him.
Jesus told the woman at the well in John 4:23-24 that “the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” Worshipping God is not confined to a place or to a set of rituals. He promised believers His Spirit so that we could live in Him and operate in faith through His Spirit. Philippians 3:3 says, “For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.” Our worship stems from within, not from good deeds done in our flesh.
What happens when we embrace our design to worship Jesus?
Simply put…
Fear ceases. The storm is calmed.
Worry ceases.
We have His peace that passes understanding.
We’re reminded of our true home– eternity with Jesus.
Take a Moment:
I’ve listed a 5-day “challenge” for you this week to apply the message from this devotional.
Day 1: Be honest with yourself and evaluate your heart. Where is it oriented: toward Jesus or earthly things? How do you know?
Day 2: What area(s) in your life are alluring you to worship it? Consider writing down a list so that you can remain aware.
Day 3: Set aside a few minutes of undistracted prayer, acknowledging God based on the attributes I listed about His character.
Day 4: Read Revelation chapter 4 today. Meditate on the imagery and ask yourself, “Can I see myself there?”
Day 5: Spend a few minutes (or as much time as you have) to worship God in your house, car, in the shower, or wherever! Worship song recommendation: “Build My Life” by Housefires.
Worshipping God because you were created to is what it means to live by faith.
I pray this devotional encouraged you to pursue and grow your relationship with Jesus.
-Alina