THE PURPOSE OF WORSHIP
Terry R. Baughman
“Let them praise the Lord for his great love and for the wonderful things he has done for them. Let them exalt him publicly before the congregation and before the leaders of the nation” (Psalm 107:31).
One outcome of worshiping God is a visual witness that others may see to bring glory to our God. The purpose of our worship is that we may declare a testimony of God’s creative works, His active involvement in human affairs, and His absolute reality in our lives. As we exalt the Lord of Glory others come to understand His greatness and are drawn to acknowledge Him in their lives.
All of Creation demonstrates the existence of an intelligent design and illustrates the outcome of His personal initiative. When we “consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers,” we respond in worship (Psalm 8:3). “He gathers the waters of the sea together as a heap; He lays up the deep in storehouses. Let all the earth fear the Lord; Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him” (Psalm 33:7–8). The beauty of nature invokes an exaltation of praise to the everlasting God who created it. In the face of such evidence David declared that, “The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no God’” (Psalm 53:1). Our worship of the Creator continues to remind an unbelieving world of an evident truth.
Throughout history God has been involved with His creation. The deist professes to believe in God but denies that He is involved or intervenes in the affairs of humanity. However, the biblical record reveals the story of His involvement and intervention with His created beings from the walks in the cool of the day with Adam and Eve to the destruction of the flood when He preserved life through the obedience of one family in the construction of an ark; from the call of Abraham to make a great nation to judgment of captivity and exile; from the restoration of the Temple to the Lord Jesus coming to that Temple to prophesy His own resurrection (John 2:19), and finally, from the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ to the movement that proclaims His saving gospel to all the world. God is definitely involved in the history, the present, and the future of His creation.
God sought relationship with those He created. He desired communication and received their praise. He is a good God that does good things. “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights” (James 1:17). Whenever praise ascends to the throne of God there will be a response. God will pour out a blessing on those who worship Him. “You are my God, and I will praise You; You are my God, I will exalt You” (Psalm 118:28).
Let us fulfill His purpose and demonstrate our passion as we exalt the name of the Lord in this generation. Let every nation come to know Him because of our worship. “I will praise You, O Lord, among the peoples; I will sing to You among the nations” (Psalm 57:9).
Scripture:
“Let them praise the name of the Lord, For His name alone is exalted; His glory is above the earth and heaven” (Psalm 148:13).
Terry R. Baughman
“Let them praise the Lord for his great love and for the wonderful things he has done for them. Let them exalt him publicly before the congregation and before the leaders of the nation” (Psalm 107:31).
One outcome of worshiping God is a visual witness that others may see to bring glory to our God. The purpose of our worship is that we may declare a testimony of God’s creative works, His active involvement in human affairs, and His absolute reality in our lives. As we exalt the Lord of Glory others come to understand His greatness and are drawn to acknowledge Him in their lives.
All of Creation demonstrates the existence of an intelligent design and illustrates the outcome of His personal initiative. When we “consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers,” we respond in worship (Psalm 8:3). “He gathers the waters of the sea together as a heap; He lays up the deep in storehouses. Let all the earth fear the Lord; Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him” (Psalm 33:7–8). The beauty of nature invokes an exaltation of praise to the everlasting God who created it. In the face of such evidence David declared that, “The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no God’” (Psalm 53:1). Our worship of the Creator continues to remind an unbelieving world of an evident truth.
Throughout history God has been involved with His creation. The deist professes to believe in God but denies that He is involved or intervenes in the affairs of humanity. However, the biblical record reveals the story of His involvement and intervention with His created beings from the walks in the cool of the day with Adam and Eve to the destruction of the flood when He preserved life through the obedience of one family in the construction of an ark; from the call of Abraham to make a great nation to judgment of captivity and exile; from the restoration of the Temple to the Lord Jesus coming to that Temple to prophesy His own resurrection (John 2:19), and finally, from the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ to the movement that proclaims His saving gospel to all the world. God is definitely involved in the history, the present, and the future of His creation.
God sought relationship with those He created. He desired communication and received their praise. He is a good God that does good things. “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights” (James 1:17). Whenever praise ascends to the throne of God there will be a response. God will pour out a blessing on those who worship Him. “You are my God, and I will praise You; You are my God, I will exalt You” (Psalm 118:28).
Let us fulfill His purpose and demonstrate our passion as we exalt the name of the Lord in this generation. Let every nation come to know Him because of our worship. “I will praise You, O Lord, among the peoples; I will sing to You among the nations” (Psalm 57:9).
Scripture:
“Let them praise the name of the Lord, For His name alone is exalted; His glory is above the earth and heaven” (Psalm 148:13).
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