One of the things God expects from us is our worship of Him. Jesus was tempted by Satan in Matthew 4:10 “Then Jesus said to him, ‘Away with you, Satan! For it is written, you shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.’” Jesus instructed the woman at the well in John 4:23-24 “But 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.” Do you worship the Lord your God? How do you worship Him?
One of the ways we worship God is by giving praise and glory to Him from our hearts. The book of Psalms is filled with praises of God; when we sing these psalms, we praise God. Hymns, by definition, are songs of praise addressed to God. The word Hallelujah literally means praise or thanks to God. We can worship and praise God in our songs of praise and in our prayers to Him.
Think of some of the characteristics of God. He is the creator of the universe; in the first chapter of Genesis we read of His creation and today we have but to look around us and see the wonderful things He has created. There is much about His creation for which we can worship and praise Him. It is amazing that God is all seeing and all knowing; we can praise him that he knows and sees everything. Hebrews 4:13 “And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.” We can worship and praise God for his great love and mercy for us. Ephesians 2:4-5 “But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved).” We can worship and praise God for all that He gives us, physically and spiritually. James 1:16-17 “Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.”
Consider the wisdom and knowledge and power of God. Romans 11:33-36 “Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out! ‘For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has become His counselor?’ ‘Or who has first given to Him and it shall be repaid to him?’ For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen.” Isaiah 55:8-9 “’For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways,’ says the LORD. ‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.’” Daniel 2:20-22 “Daniel answered and said: ‘Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, for wisdom and might are His. And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings; He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding. He reveals deep and secret things; He knows what is in the darkness, and light dwells with Him.’” 1 Corinthians 1:25 “Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.” Let us praise Him for His wisdom and knowledge and power.
Meditate on the nature of God and worship and praise Him for the wonderful God that He is. Romans 15:9-11 “And that the Gentiles might glorify God for His mercy, as it is written: ‘For this reason I will confess to You among the Gentiles, and sing to Your name.’ And again he says: ‘Rejoice, O Gentiles, with His people!’ And again: ‘Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles! Laud Him, all you peoples!’”
In the next encouragement I want to continue the subject of worshiping God.