We all worship something. It’s how we were created. Whether we realize it or not, we are worshippers. The only question is what, or who, is it we are worshipping? Saying we worship something or someone other than God is an uncomfortable admission. We don’t want to believe we worship unworthy objects.
Many people and things will demand our worship, but only God is worthy of it. In fact, he demands we worship only Him. This goes all the way back to the Ten Commandments. Somehow, thousands of years later, we still haven’t been able to honor what He requires.
Recognizing we are worshippers means we must ask ourselves, “Who or what are we worshipping?” If it’s not God, then what is it, and why do we perceive that person or object to be more worthy of our praise than God Himself? Because here’s the awkward truth about worship: we will live for what we worship. This means if we are worshipping someone or something other than Christ, we are living for someone or something other than Christ. We can’t worship Jesus and something else. True worship is exclusive. It implies devotion. It demands singleness of focus.
Most of us live in the impossible tension of “Jesus and…” Few of us live Jesus-only lives. Yet this is the only life Christ ever talked about as acceptable. He said we cannot serve two masters (Matthew 6:24). He said He was the only way to the Father and eternal life (John 14:6). In one poignant passage, He made it clear we had to forsake everything in order to follow Him (Luke 9:57-62). God has never accepted a “Jesus and…” lifestyle. True surrender means we follow and worship Jesus alone. If you desire to be a disciple of Jesus, you must get rid of whatever is after your “and”.
Knowing we are worshippers, how can we then begin to orient our life solely around Christ? We can begin by eliminating everything in our life which doesn’t honor Him. Examine every area of your life and question whether it is bringing glory to God, yourself, or someone else. If you aren’t sure what you are worshipping, ask a friend. It’s generally more obvious to others what we are worshipping than it is to ourselves. Trust me, your life will reflect who or what you are worshipping.
Once we get rid of those things in our life that are diluting our ability to worship God, we need to replace them with habits that are honoring to Him. Our life should be lived as a form of worship to our Lord. Every thought, word, and action should be done as a worshipful act. This will be a radical change for most, and others will take notice. You’ll probably be ridiculed, but there will also be opportunities to engage those without Christ in a conversation that could change their lives forever. This is the point of our lives, after all, to bring the Kingdom of God down to earth. What better way to do this than helping another find their way into the Kingdom? We are worshippers. Let’s be certain our lives are reflecting the only One worthy of that worship.