In our Getting Real sermon series, we’re looking at how spiritual practices serve as tools for heart change and authenticity before God.
To help make this more practical, each week a Woodland staff member will share about a spiritual practice that has been meaningful to them as well as tips for how you might try it out.
Worship
“Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our ‘God is a consuming fire.’”– Hebrews 12:28-29
In her Spiritual Disciplines Handbook, pastor Adele Calhoun says, “Worship happens whenever we intentionally cherish God and value him above all else in life. Worship reveals what is important to us. In worship, we fall into the arms of God and say ‘Have your way with me.’”
So, what does this look like? As Danny said in his video, worship isn’t always just about listening to music. There are many ways to put God first in our lives.
- Yielding our whole being to God daily. It helps to acknowledge him right when our feet hit the floor rolling out of bed in the morning. We can even say it out loud, “Lord, I yield myself to you today.”
- Coming before God with receptive hearts and minds. We can worship him through his word, leaning into Scripture like Matthew 6:33, and seek God’s Kingdom first. This requires openness and obedience to his reality.
- We are each made uniquely and therefore honor him in our own ways. Worship isn’t “one size fits all.” Find a way of giving glory to God that resonates most with your heart.
- And yes, like Danny said engaging with God through musical worship is an awesome way to connect with God. It is said the early church fathers sometimes spoke of dancing with the Trinity.
Have you ever intentionally scheduled worship on your calendar? Do you know what your favorite style of connecting with him is? Let’s focus our attention on God’s transformational love this week and revere him above all else.
Let us know in the comments if you have any other tips to share, or if you have questions!
