The Meaning of Worship

Psalm 105:1-2 says: "Oh give thanks to the Lord, call upon his name; sing to him, sing praises to him; tell of all his wondrous works!" As I read those verses, I hear a call to worship God. Both Webster's New Dictionary of the English Language and Harper's Bible Dictionary supply an underlying meaning of worship as an "act of reverence toward a deity." Harper's includes in the Old Testament context illustrations of sacrifice, prayer, and song as means of expressing that reverence, and observes that New Testament worship was characterized by joy. Ephesians 5:19-21 helps to define worship for me, especially the phrases "singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.” The Ephesian passage has parallels to Psalm 105 of singing to the Lord and giving thanks to God. Notice the mention of reverence in Ephesians 5:21. Reverence, in the Bible, combines aspects of respect and fear. One of the words for worship in the Bible means “to bend the knee.” It brings to mind the apostle John’s falling at the feet of Jesus in Revelation chapter 1. Worship is not always somber, however. James exhorts those who are happy to sing praises (James 5:13). People will sometimes excuse their absence from assemblies of the church by saying that all of life is worship. Indeed, the apostle Paul wrote, “And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to the God the Father through him” (Colossians 3:17). We should act each day, wherever we are and whatever we are doing, as if we were in the presence of God. However, sometimes we forget that we are in the presence of God, and on those occasions, we may find ourselves acting as if there were no God, saying or doing things that later we will regret. The Bible teaches that the people of God gather together to worship him by means of certain actions. In the Old Testament, regular gatherings for religious feasts included singing, sacrifices, and communal meals. In the New Testament, Christians pray, give, eat a memorial meal, and sing praises to God, although the assembly also has an important purpose of encouraging other believers in Jesus through teaching and song. We worship when we are aware of being in the presence of the God who created our universe. We worship together to reinforce the bonds of faith that unite us and give us strength.

A Fulfilling Week

Last week I participated in several events from which I gained great inspiration. A week ago, I spoke about Jeremiah's prayer in Jeremiah 12 as an example of "The Power of a Praying Man," a truth that might at first glance seem ironic given the content of his prayer. Missionaries to Scotland and Brazil also participated in the event; their insights helped me tremendously. This past Monday morning, I attended a church history workshop at the old Mars Hill (Alabama) Church of Christ building. It was constructed in 1904; Evangelist T.B. Larimore preached there numerous times. In addition to learning about the history of churches of Christ in Mississippi and the life of a student of Larimore's who had great influence among rural churches in Middle Tennessee and Northern Alabama a hundred years ago, I also got to lead those assembled in singing "Where the Gates Swing Outward Never," a rousing hymn that eagerly anticipates Heaven. On Tuesday Night, I participated as an alumnus in an event for prospective students at Harding School of Theology (http://www.hst.edu), meeting with the prospective students at a dinner and then sitting on a panel to discuss how attending the school has affected my ministry. Among the insights I left with them was not to assume that they know how their life will unfold, but to lay a foundation by their choice of schools and courses that would allow them flexibility and the optimal opportunity for ministry.

Remembering a Great Songleader and Preacher on His Birthday

James R. Greer (1904-1995) preached in Helenwood, TN, near Oneida when I was in elementary school and my father preached at Oneida Church of Christ. Brother Greer would have young boys like myself stand beside him sometimes as he (we) led singing so we could get the feel of it. Other than sitting beside my mother at church and listening to her beautiful alto voice, James Greer probably influenced me to love singing in church at an early age more than anyone else. In the mid-80's, I preached the homecoming gospel meeting at Oneida. James Greer came from Nashville, now in his eighties, accompanied by his wife, a long-time college librarian at what is now Lipscomb University, who had not always been able to accompany him to Helenwood years earlier. He directed singing on Sunday night. He needed help getting to the podium, but then remarkably he straightened up and that booming, beautiful voice led the congregation. During the breaks in singing for prayer and, of course, preaching, he feebly made his way to the pew behind the pulpit. But while singing, it was as if thirty or forty years fell away from him. His love for Christ was obvious in his service to the church as a domestic missionary, preaching to small church plants and inspiring their members through word and song. Today would have been his birthday. I remember him, and breathe a prayer of gratitude to God for this man who took the time to teach young boys how to stand before the church and learn to lead and to learn to love singing praises to God.