Tuesday, December 19, 2023
What first pops into your mind when you hear the word “worship”?
I often hear that praising God through song—the worship part of service—is the favorite part for many who attend church. Worship connects our hearts to God and our fellow Jesus followers. There is something special about gathering with the church and humbling ourselves before the Lord, thanking him for his unfailing love and incomparable grace.
But worship is not limited to song—it’s a heart posture that acknowledges God’s glory. Psalm 95:6 states it this way, “Come, let us worship and bow down. Let us kneel before the Lord our maker, for he is our God.”
There are many ways we can give our praises and thanks to God in all aspects of our lives—through music and the arts, meditating on his word, reading and studying the Bible, spending time outdoors in his creation, praying, and using our gifts in service to others no matter how humble they may seem. Worship is about remembering God’s characteristics and attributes; it is about being in awe of the power, mercy, and grace of our King.
Advent is a time when we anticipate and celebrate the greatest blessing of all time—the birth of Jesus, our Savior, the one who fulfilled God’s promises to save his people from their sins. (Something no person is able to do for themself.) We not only worship God for his character and sovereignty but also for the fulfillment of long-awaited promises.
Isaiah 25:1
O Lord, I will honor and praise your name, for you are my God. You do such wonderful things! You planned them long ago, and now you have accomplished them.
This Christmas, let us remember to worship God for all that he has done! We were created to worship him—a God so good that he sacrificed his one and only Son and dwelled among us on earth. A God who loves us so much that he took our sins upon himself to save us from spending eternity separated from him.
All glory be to God in the highest!
Questions:
What is your favorite way to worship God?
How can you incorporate worship into your daily life?
Next Steps:
Attend a Christmas service. Invite a friend to worship God with you!
This week, set apart time to intentionally worship God for all he has done.
Plan to attend GrowthTrack in 2024 and discover the gifts God has given you so that you may serve him in his kingdom now.
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, thank you for all that you have done in our lives and for all the blessings that you have given us. We give all our thanks and praise to you, and we worship you for your abundant love and care. Help us remember to take time to intentionally worship you and recenter our hearts upon you. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Parent Resource:
Read Luke 2:15-16 together as a family. Bake a batch of Christmas cookies. Share a snack together, and take some to a neighbor. If you’re feeling competitive, have everyone place a cookie on their forehead. Race to see who can shimmy the cookie down and bite it first before it drops. No hands!
This post was written by Isabelle Billnitzer, a regular contributor to the LivingItOut.