God made us (Gen. 1:27). Then, through the sacrifice of His Son Jesus Christ, God called us back to Himself "according to the good pleasure of His will" (Eph. 1:5). We are intended for God's own pleasure. What brings pleasure to God is our surrendering of ourselves completely to Him.
Surrendering yourself completely to God is called "worship." Romans 12:1 says, "Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship" (NASB). The NIV ends this verse with the words, "this is your true and proper worship." Complete and total surrender of yourself to God is true worship.
God does not want things, He wants you! That is why God told David, "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise" (Ps. 51:17). That is also why Jesus told the woman at the well, "The hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth" (John 4:23-24).
If worship is our purpose, then we cannot forsake assembling together for that purpose. The writer of Hebrews exhorts us in just that way: "And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching" (Heb. 10:24-25).
God intended us to be an encouragement to each other. Paul instructs us to "let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord" (Col. 3:16). That means we must gather together as He commanded, lifting up one another, and bringing praise and honor and glory to His name.
This is our formal worship and we must never neglect it. Some have a habit of missing worship services on a regular basis, especially in the busyness of summer. Do not let that be said of you. Make a special effort this summer to attend and participate in worship every Sunday. Be a great encouragement to each other as the Lord commands.
But remember, worship is more than that. Worship is also a daily surrender to God and His will. Live each day in total submission to God. Live each day in the power of the Spirit of God. Live each day as Christ Jesus would live each day. Then you will be living a life of daily worship before God.
Never forsake walking with God. Never forsake gathering together to worship God. Then you will be totally surrendered to Him and living a life that is pleasing to Him. Amen.
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