Today’s Scripture:
“Therefore I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.” – Romans 12:1
The Spiritual Practice of Worship
When we think of worship, many of us immediately picture a Sunday service with singing, instruments, and lifting our hands in praise. As a pastor’s daughter who has been in a church building every Sunday since I can remember, this is definitely what I was raised to think of as worship. And worship songs are a powerful tool that help us express our love and adoration for God, but true worship goes far beyond music.
Worship is not just an event or a moment in a service—it’s a posture of the heart, a lifestyle that is grounded in a response to God’s mercy and grace.
Many years ago, I heard Louie Giglio give a definition of worship that has stuck with me for decades. He said, “Worship is our response, both personal and corporate, to God, for who He is and what He’s done, expressed in and by the things we say and the way we live.” That’s a pretty all encompassing view of worship!
In Romans 12:1, Paul urges believers to present their bodies as a living sacrifice to God, declaring that this is our “true and proper worship.” Worship isn’t confined to a particular time or place. It’s not just about songs, although songs can be an incredibly rich expression of worship.
True worship is about offering every part of our lives to God—our actions, our thoughts, our relationships, and even our work.
The essence of worship is about surrender and devotion to God. It’s about recognizing His worth and responding with all that we are. It’s about living with an awareness of God’s presence in every moment. We worship God when we work with integrity, serve others with love, show kindness to strangers, or live with humility. When we do all things as unto the Lord (Colossians 3:23), we are offering our lives as an act of worship. It’s the daily choices we make to honor God with our lives, whether we’re in church, at home, at work, or out in the world.
In 2 Corinthians 3:18, Paul writes, “And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into His image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.” As we worship, we are beholding the glory of God, and that beholding transforms us. Our hearts are softened, our perspectives are shifted, and our lives reflect His goodness and grace more fully.
Worship is not just a tool for expressing our praise—it’s also a tool for shaping our hearts. The more we focus on God’s greatness, the more we are reminded of His goodness, mercy, and love.
As we practice worship in its fullest sense, we are invited to view everything we do as an offering to God. Worship isn’t just for Sundays—it’s for every day of the week. If you’ve been focusing only on the act of singing songs in worship, consider expanding your understanding of worship today. Worship is about bringing all of who you are to God—your heart, your actions, your thoughts, your time. When we offer our whole lives in worship, we experience God’s presence in a deeper, more transformative way.
Today’s Challenge:
Today, take a moment to reflect on the ways you can worship God beyond music. Is there a conversation you need to have with someone that can reflect His love? Is there work you’re doing that you can offer up to Him as an act of worship? Look for moments throughout your day where you can offer yourself as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God.
Today’s Prayer:
Lord, thank You for the gift of worship. Help me to see that worship is not just about singing songs, but about offering my entire life to You. Teach me to worship You with my actions, my thoughts, and my heart. May my life be a living sacrifice that reflects Your goodness and glory. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
