Daily Devotions
Who Initiates Worship?
Reading for January 16th: Exodus 1-4
Then he said, "Do not come near; take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground."
Exodus 3:5
Who initiates worship?
Worship is a response. The main Old Testament word is shachah, which means to "depress," "bow down," or "prostrate." The main New Testament word is proskuneo, which is to "kiss (the hand or the ground) toward." The English word "worship" has at its root the idea of "worth" or "worthy." Worship is a prostration toward, a kissing toward, one who is worthy of such a response.
But how do we know God's worth? God must reveal himself to us. Thus, God is the one who initiates worship by revealing to us his transcendent holiness, love, character, power, and wisdom. The more our minds are filled with the knowledge of God's worthiness, the better we can declare his worth.
So why are we prone to ritualistic, dry, lifeless worship? Why do we tend to fall into the checklist routine? Why do we find it difficult sometimes to engage our whole heart?
It could be we're not listening.
God has spoken. He has declared his glory in nature and in his word (Psalm 19). God is screaming to us his glory!
Are we paying attention?
Open up your eyes and ears! God is initiating worship in your heart even as you read this devotion. Open up God's Word. Walk outside and look around.
And then take off your sandals.
Father, you alone are God! You are holy, holy, holy! We will shout aloud your praise and declare your glory with our whole heart!
