This post is written by Sebastien Dekleva, our new staff member for worship leading and youth ministry.
Why must we worship? This is a question that I have been asking myself a lot as of late. We can so easily choose to view worship as simply an act that we engage in Sunday mornings, but why does God command this of us? What does the Bible say about our hearts regarding worship, and what does this calling mean for Summitview?
I wanted to dive into a few of these questions as Summitview’s newest staff member for two reasons. First, I believe worship is a key part of connection with God and understanding our need for him. Second, as a worship leader, I think that we need to consider what worship looks like in our life outside of Sunday morning. For while we are all called to corporate, public worship, I believe that it is only a small part of a larger command.
The root of worship is found in John 4:23-24:
But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.
Here, God is calling us to worship him over false truths that we are prone to run to. Whether it’s a political party, cultural ideology, or simply ourselves, we choose to worship idols around us so freely. We lose track of the core purpose of worship, to delight in God, proclaim his goodness, and his saving grace. The root of worship is simply found in an overflow for our love of Christ, and his redemptive power. We cannot worship God on Sunday mornings if we do not choose to worship him daily in the spirit. Matthew 15:8-9 proclaims this:
These people honor me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.
Fellow Summitviewers, we must stop viewing worship as a single act on Sundays. We must work to daily cultivate a spirit of worship built on God’s truth as we move through our lives. If not, the outward expression that we enter into will be meaningless, and done in vain. Let us stop this week to consider with a worshipful heart the provision, protection, and grace that our good God provides for us. Let our hearts be filled with joy that overflows on Sunday morning, instead of coming to be filled. I look forward to rejoicing with you all this Sunday, and I pray that we all will live with hearts full of worship.
– Sebastien
