A Way to Worship

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.

Romans 12:1 (NKJV)

After a concert, the leader of a worship band asked me to differentiate between praising and worshipping God. According to him, they are the same thing, but the two don't function in the same way. I asked him which of the two we practiced when singing. He didn't have the answer to my question, not out of ignorance, but because he sought to favor one or the other. So I gave him a brief summary: singing is praising; worshipping, on the contrary, is bowing and humbling oneself.

As long as one cannot recognize one's insignificance and bow with humility before God, one cannot speak of worship. Anyone who worships God must first admit that their life is a gift from God, that without Him, they are nothing. They must always be humble, regardless of their social position, and give glory to God for all His goodness. By asking the Romans to offer their bodies as a sacrifice to God, Paul isn't asking them to lie down on the altar of sacrifice as one would a sheep. He's asking them not to live like the people of the world and to devote themselves totally to God.

You might think this isn't easy. But note Paul's words to illustrate the importance of such an attitude: "By the compassion of God." In other words, we must first consider the reason for this sacrifice. What you give to God is the fruit of what He has done for you. He sent His Son to die for you. He gave you grace and eternal salvation, even though you were a sinner. Living according to His word and walking in holiness must therefore be your way of worshipping Him. It is your worship that will lead you to praise.

May the grace and peace of God be with you all.