THE LIFESTYLE OF WORSHIP

“Let everything that has BREATH praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!” – Psalm 150:6

Believers in Christ are called to a LIFESTYLE of WORSHIP: “Let everything that has BREATH praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!” (Psa.150:6). BREATH is key proof of LIFE: “And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the BREATH of LIFE; and man became a LIVING BEING” (Gen.2:7). Everything that has breath can Worship, just as it is natural for the living to breath. WORSHIP is a LIFESTYLE. Worshiping God is fundamental to living a faith-filled, Spirit-led, Christian life.

There are however, diverse, conflicting ideas as to how to Worship the Lord. There are multiple worship methods, plans, and styles that vary among cultures and geographic boundaries. But the Lord God – Creator of the Universe, enjoys the diversity of sincere worship when expressed through His Spirit and in Truth. Worship should be a way of life, with many facets of expression. To insist that there is only one way to worship God is to create confusion, fragmentation, and frustration among Believers. It is a narrow view of God’s inexhaustible riches to assume that a certain defining style of worship is the only correct way to worship the Lord.

We can worship God with Instruments of Music: “Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet; Praise Him with the lute and harp!” (v.3). Dance can be added to the Instruments: “Praise Him with the timbrel and DANCE; Praise Him with stringed instruments and flutes!” (vv.4-5). Worship can be with LOUD SOUNDS: “Praise Him with LOUD cymbals; Praise Him with CLASHING cymbals!” (v.6). There’s room for loud JOYFUL NOISE, SHOUTS, SONGS and SOUNDS: “SHOUT JOYFULLY to the Lord, all the earth; break forth in SONG, rejoice, and sing praises. Sing to the Lord with the harp, with the harp and the SOUND of a psalm, with trumpets and the SOUND of a horn; SHOUT JOYFULLY before the Lord, the King (Psa.98: 4-6).

Psalm 100:1 restates Psalm 98:4, “MAKE a JOYFUL SHOUT to the Lord, all you lands.” The word “make” implies an intentional, consciously constructed SHOUT, not a cacophony of noises. The Bible also says we can worship God with FEASTING: “All the prosperous of the earth shall EAT and WORSHIP” (Psa.22:29a). We can worship God with sacrifices, offerings, and vows (Isa. 19:21). We can even worship God by jumping and leaping, as the man who was healed of lameness in Jesus’ name (Acts 3:8–9). Regardless of the method, the act of worship must be in spirit (living) and truth – consistent with the rest of our lives (Jh.4:24).

We don’t have to be sonorous singers or great musicians to worship God. Worship can come with animated display of praise and other times be tranquil, serene, and personal. Neither is better than the other. What’s crucial is to be in a personal relationship with our great God and live with the truth of His greatness reflecting through all we are becoming and all we do. God seeks extravagant worshipers, who yield to the promptings of His Spirit. Many Bible stories illustrate that a Lifestyle of Worship is a life of extravagant love for God. Noah and Abraham’s sacrificial worship pleased God (Gen.8: 20-22; 22: 2-12). Abraham was prepared to give it all; to give to the Lord what he loved the most – his son! God responds to extravagant worship with extravagant blessing and results.

Extravagant Worship must cost us something. David wanted to offer a sacrifice to the Lord to stop a plague on His people. So, he asked Ornan to sell him a place on his threshing floor to build an altar. Ornan wanted to give the area and livestock needed, at no charge. But David said, “No, but I will surely buy it for the full price, for I will not take what is yours for the Lord, nor offer burnt offerings with that which costs me nothing” (1 Chr.21:24). Worship is an act of love and obedient faith. A Lifestyle of Worship starts from the heart. When we come to Jesus with a grateful heart, then we do we would live a lifestyle filled with extravagant worship.