Worship


Dallas Willard's next discipline of engagement is worship. "In worship we engage ourselves with, dwell upon, and express the greatness, beauty, and goodness of God." It's an opportunity for us to see God as "worthy", to ascribe worth to him. The more we allow ourselves to engage in worship, the more we see that God is good and beautify. This leads to a greater illumination of God's worth and our worship becomes richer and deeper. Willard says as the "worthiness" of God enters our minds and hearts, it will "increase our faith and strengthen us to be as he is."

I believe we do not engage in worship enough. What we do on Sunday mornings when we gather to "worship" the Lord is rarely ever that. We sing songs and praise, but there is often little time to wait upon the Lord and dwell upon his goodness and greatness. We desperately need to make time to worship God corporately as well as personally. If we are truly worshiping the Lord, then there should be a change in us, a response to move closer to the Lord in obedience and sacrifice. Willard says this change will be immediate and dramatic as with Isaiah. He was profoundly changed and moved by his vision of the Lord enthroned on high surrounded my seraphims crying out "Holy, Holy, Holy (Isaiah 6:1-3). His response was "Hear am I Lord, send me."

I love the church, but if we want to see God move in our midst and change lives in our communities, then we must allow true worship to lead the way. Willard says "Worship is our part." We begin by centering our worship on Jesus, allowing the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts and minds with the greatness, wonder, and worth of Jesus Christ.

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