We should worship God with all that we are, including intellect, emotions, will, and our bodies. While we may each be inclined in different directions, we need to take a fresh look at the physical expressions of worship mentioned in the Bible. Not that every specific action mentioned in the Bible is a required part of worship (otherwise we would all need to dance before the Lord), but we need to see the range of possible means to express devotion to God in a physical way. To say that we should not express our worship in any physical way would contradict the many examples of worship in Scripture as well as the fundamental concept of worshiping God with all that we are. God made us as corporeal beings, not disembodied spirits, and our bodies should be a part of our worship.

I don’t want to get into a discussion of the specific types of physical expression at this time. Rather, I want to point you to an excellent series of articles by worship leader Bob Kauflin in Worship Matters about how we can grow in physical expressiveness in worship. (The link points to a category of posts, so to read them in the order you will need to start from the bottom of the page.)

He is writing especially to worship leaders, and he makes four main points about how to help people grow in physical expression in worship:

1. Teach on the appropriateness of physical expression in worshipping God.
2. Teach that physical expression should flow from a heart that desires to bring God glory, and that outward expressions are no sign one way or the other that someone is offering God acceptable worship.
3. Address the different reasons people might be reserved in their expression and teach on preferring others.
4. Preach and sing the Word, works, and worth of God, centered on the Gospel, to raise the affections of people for God.

The series is balanced and Scripturally based. If you are interested in this topic, I suggest that you check it out.

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Some excerpts. . .

Music that is simply about emotion is self-centered and immodest. It is concerned more with the emotions themselves than in the object of the emotions. This kind of music allows the listener to revel in his feelings. This may not in itself be a problem, but when used for worship it is idolotry. We say we are worshiping God, and the text may have a lot of biblical content, but the form is actually prompting us to focus on ourselves and how we feel. Is is essentially what Edwards referred to when he described “passions” — purely physical emotions for their own sake.

and

What God desires in worship, on the other hand, is expressions of affection to Him. Worship music should be less about what I feel and more about who God is. God does not want to hear, “I fee this way, and I feel that way.” He wants to hear about Himself, and the acts of expressing affection demonstrate what we are feeling towards Him much better than if we tried to tell Him with words.

I’m not sure that our “acts of expressing affection” toward God can’t include a statement of how we feel about God. David certainly gives verbal expression to his feelings for God in the Psalms. But the focus of our worship should be on God Himself rather than on our feelings about Him.

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We must remember that Jesus was accused of showing improper familiarity toward God by calling Him “Abba” (Jn. 5:18) and yet He taught us to do the same (Mat. 6:9). Also, David’s wife Michal accused him of acting in an undignified manner in worship, and yet God defended him (2 Sam 6:20-23). So we must be careful about the emotions we condemn in worship lest we end up becoming like the Pharisees or like Michal. But having said that, we still need to reflect carefully on this topic to be sure that the thoughts and feelings that we express in worship are worthy of our Lord.

The article also draws on the distinction made by Jonathan Edwards between lasting “affections” and more fleeting “passions,” although I am not sure that this distinction can be supported by Scripture. But the other points that he makes about emotion are not really dependent on this distinction.

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What do you think would happen if God in all His glory appeared right in front of you? Isaiah had an experience like that, and it left him changed forever (Isa. 6:1-7).

In the Bible whenever we are given a glimpse into God’s heavenly throne room we find it filled with worship. People in the Bible who had a close encounter with God were usually overpowered by a sense of His incredible might and all-consuming holiness (see Judges 6:21-23; Job 42:5-6; Lk. 5:8; Rev. 1:17-18). Isaiah’s response was the thought that he was probably going to be struck dead because He had seen God (v. 5).

The angelic creatures in Isaiah’s vision cried out “Holy, Holy, Holy.” To be holy is to be set apart. In God’s case, it means to be completely separated from anything sinful or morally corrupt. When He saw a glimpse of God, Isaiah realized how sinful he really was. When we come into God’s presence, all our moral blemishes become painfully obvious in the same way that dirt we have never noticed before becomes visible when we turn on a bright light.

But Isaiah did not die. When he cried out in confession (and probably in sheer terror) God responded by sending an angel with a coal from the altar to symbolize his cleansing. God is ready to cleanse and forgive us when we confess our sinfulness to Him. Jesus came into the world and died on the cross for us to make that possible.

What can we learn about worship from the experience of Isaiah?

1. Worship is personal

Christian worship takes place in the context of a personal relationship with God. It is not a religious ritual or a spiritual technique. In order to worship we need to get close to God. This means that we need to come into a personal relationship with God through faith in Christ before any real worship is possible.

2. Worship requires confession

Since God is holy, our sin is a barrier to worship. Before we can get really close to God we must confess our sin and ask for His cleansing. God promises that if we do this He will forgive us and cleanse us (1 Jn. 1:9).

3. Worship changes us

Everyone in the Bible who got really close to God was changed as a result. It is part of God’s work in our lives to transform us to be more like Jesus. But the change does not happen all at once. As we are cleansed and transformed we can get a little closer to God. When that happens we become aware of even more sin that needs to be confessed. The cycle of spiritual transformation is a key part of the Christian life.

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What does it really mean to worship God? What is the essence of worship? Take a look at one of the passages in the Bible that gives us a glimpse into heaven:

“After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could count, from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palm branches were in their hands; and they cry out with a loud voice, saying, ‘Salvation to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.’ And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures; and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying, ‘Amen, blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might, be to our God forever and ever. Amen.’” (Rev. 7:9-12)

Whenever the Bible describes the activity in heaven we usually find worship at the center. And often the worship includes “bowing down” (see Rev. 4:11; Rev. 5:14; Rev. 11:16). In fact, in Revelation nearly every time that the twenty four elders are mentioned we find them bowing down before the throne. (Other examples of bowing before God are found in Num. 20:6; Neh. 8:6; Mat. 2:11 and Luke 5:6-8)

What does bowing have to do with worship?

The primary Hebrew word in the OT translated “worship” literally means to “bow down.” The original Greek word in the NT has a similar meaning. Obviously there is a close connection between worship and “bowing down.” But what is the connection?

People in the ancient world understood the significance of bowing down before someone. Bowing was the nearly universal sign of respect and submission in the presence of a king or other powerful leader. We find examples of bowing before a human leader in the Bible as well (Gen. 41:42-43; 2 Sam. 14:22). No wonder bowing down before God became a primary expression of worship.

To bow down before someone indicates two things. First it is a sign of honor and respect. It is recognition of the greatness of the one before whom you bow. Second, it is a sign of submission. By bowing before a king you are saying that he is greater than you are (you are the one bowing) and that your life is in his hands and under his power (you can’t defend yourself with your face to the ground).

Why we must bow

In worship we declare God’s greatness. He alone is worthy of glory, honor, and praise. One day all created beings will bow before Him and acknowledge that He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords (Phil. 2:9-10). In response to this truth we bow in surrender to and adoration of our King. Our bowing may not always be physical (although it can be), but in our hearts we must bow before Him who is on the throne. Without this there is no true worship. If we do not bow, we are merely reciting words that we do not really mean. Our worship is hollow and hypocritical.

Bowing down in worship is not optional because there is only room for one on the throne. God will not share His glory. The first of the Ten Commandments demands exclusive allegiance (Ex. 20:2-3). If we declare that He alone is worthy then we must bow. There is no other way.

The problem is that we find it very difficult to truly bow before the throne. There is something in us (it’s called “sin”) that would rather we be the one on the throne. Submitting ourselves to the will of another just doesn’t come naturally. We like to be self-sufficient, in control, and free to do what we want, but God calls us to be dependent on Him, under His control, and ready to do whatever He calls us to do.

In order to bow before the Lord we must deal with the question of who sits on the throne. We must confess our attempts to be our own little god, and surrender the throne to the One who alone is worthy.

We each have a choice to make. In the words of the song “Will You Worship”

Will you worship, will you bow down
Before your Lord and King?
Will you love Me, will you give Me your heart,
Your everything?

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Questions such as these have caused considerable debate. The worship styles at different churches run the gamut from somber, highly structured liturgical services to the wild frenzy of some Pentecostal services to the carefully choreographed “worship experience” of some seeker driven churches. Some worship services leave you exhausted from the sheer overflow of emotion while others barely register a pulse. Is it just a matter of personal preference, or does the Bible provide some guidance as to the proper place of emotions in worship? What sort of worship service is pleasing to God?

Emotions are an essential part of life

God created us as emotional beings. So part of loving God with our whole heart, soul, mind, and strength (Mk. 12:29-30) must include our emotions. In fact, emotions are an important part of any relationship. If a husband and wife had nothing more than a cold, intellectual love for one another we would rightly conclude that their marriage was not very healthy. If the husband said, “I have chosen to love you and I am committed to you, but I don’t have any particular feelings for you,” do you think that the wife would be satisfied? Would she even consider that love at all? Would God be satisfied with a merely intellectual love?

The Bible is filled with the expression of emotion toward God. Consider the strong emotions expressed in these Psalms:

“As the deer pants for the water brooks, So my soul pants for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God; When shall I come and appear before God?” (Psalm 42:1-2)

“How lovely are Thy dwelling places, O Lord of hosts! My soul longed and even yearned for the courts of the Lord; My heart and my flesh sing for joy to the living God.” (Psalm 84:1-2)

In fact the Psalms are overflowing with emotion, including everything from ecstatic praise to mournful lament. David and the other writers of the Psalms got very emotional in their relationship with God.

Worship is a celebration

In the Old Testament there are seven national feasts and only one national fast. (Actually it is a bit more complicated than that, since some feasts were not instituted until after the exile, but this is the overall picture.) Considering the ratio between feasts and fasts, it would seem that God is in favor of celebration. Their worship included not only singing and playing instruments, but also shouting for joy (Ps. 98:4; Ps. 100:1) and even dancing (2 Sam. 6:14; Ps. 149:3).

Indeed we have much to celebrate. Worship is all about praising God for who He is and what He has done. From the glimpses that the Bible gives us into heaven we discover that the main activity there is worship. Joy is the language of heaven. In our relationship with God there is certainly a place for pouring out our sorrows before Him, yet in the Psalms even the laments often turn to praise in the end. In heaven our sorrows will be swallowed up by joy, and worship is a foretaste of heaven.

Emotion in worship needs balance

Most of us have a fear of being controlled by our emotions because we realize that our emotions can mislead us. Worship is not based on feelings, but on truth. We worship God because He is Worthy. We worship Him regardless of how we feel. We worship Him because He deserves it, not because it makes us feel a certain way. If you are worshipping God because you just love that “worshipful” feeling then you are worshipping for the wrong reason.

But cold, unfeeling worship is just as bad. Worship devoid of feeling is not somehow more “pure” or spiritual. In fact it is less so. How can we stand and speak or sing of God’s greatness and His amazing love, and feel nothing? How can we not respond to His love by loving Him in return (1 Jn. 4:19)? Our worship needs to have a proper emotional response to God.

Hindrances to whole hearted worship

What are some of the hindrances to worshipping God with all that we are? How can we move beyond cold, dull, repetitive worship?

First you must meet the “prerequisites” for worship.

• In order to truly worship God, you must have a relationship with Him. Christian worship is not worship from a distance, but from within a relationship.
• In order to truly worship God you must be willing to bow down to Him in adoration and submission. It is impossible to worship God while you are in rebellion against Him.
• In order to truly worship God you must come to Him for cleansing for sin. Just as the priests needed to wash themselves before serving in the temple, we need to confess our sins and ask for God’s cleansing. (It’s free—Jesus already paid for it!)

Once you have met the prerequisites for worship you can learn to worship God with your whole heart.

• Meditate deeply on the truth about God from Scripture. Then allow yourself to respond to His love with your feelings as well as your thoughts.
• If you are an “emotionally repressed” person learn to embrace your feelings as an essential part of how God made you.
• If you are a person who is easily excited be sure that you are not seeking an emotional high instead of genuinely worshipping God.
• Don’t worry about what others may think if you show a little enthusiasm in your worship. If you are self-conscious in your worship it shows that your focus is on yourself instead of God.

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We all worship something. Some people dedicate their lives to some pretty strange things. But it is important to find something that truly deserves to be worshipped.

What is worship?

We were created to worship God (1 Peter 2:9). Not only that, but we are also commanded to worship God (Psalm 135:1-2). So worship is important.

But what is “worship?” The English word “worship” comes from an Old English word worth-ship. It means to declare someone’s “worth.” Or to give the children’s Sunday School definition, “Worship is telling God how great He is.”

In Revelation 4:1-4 we catch a glimpse into heaven. In fact whenever the Bible mentions heaven there is almost always worship taking place. In Rev. 4:8 we meet the heavenly “worship team.” We can learn a lot from the way they worship.

Why should we worship?

The reason that we should worship God is that He is worthy of our worship. In Rev. 4:8 the heavenly praise is based on God’s nature. He is holy (repeated three times for emphasis), which means that He is completely separated from anything sinful or unclean. He is also the almighty one, and the eternal God who has always existed and always will exist. For these reasons He is worthy of our praise.

God is also worshiped on the basis of what He has done. Two great deeds of God are mentioned in this heavenly scene. First in Rev. 4:9-11 He is praised for His great work of creation. Then in Rev. 5:6-10 He is praised for His great work of redemption. The heavenly scene closes with a great heavenly chorus of worship in Rev. 5:11-14.

Lessons about worship

What can we learn about worship from these heavenly scenes?

1. It’s not about you

We tend to make worship all about ourselves, and focus on how we feel. Churches talk about creating a good “worship experience.” A Google search for the phrase “It’s all about you” yields about 155K hits. We love to be the focus of attention. But the worship in heaven is God-centered. If you ask what you “got out of” worship then you are asking the wrong question. The goal of worship is not for you to get something out of it. The right question is what God “got out of it.” The purpose of worship is to give praise and honor and glory to God because He is worthy!

2. It’s all about Him!

Worship is God-centered. We should worship God no matter how we feel or what our circumstances. No matter what else is going on, He is worthy. Nothing can change that. You will notice that the reasons for worship in the heavenly scene have nothing to do with how my life is going today.

When it comes down to it, worship is a choice. We choose to worship God because He is worthy. Sometimes it will be easy to worship God because everything is going well. At other times we might not feel much like worshipping because our lives are a mess. But He is still worthy and we should still worship.

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If you have ever said, “I didn’t get anything out of worship today,” you worshiped for the wrong reason. Worship isn’t for you. It’s for God.

You can read the whole article here. We live in a consumer drive society and unfortunately that deeply influences how we approach the Christian life. All the advertising say “It’s all about You!” and “Have it Your way!” but in worship we bow before God and admit that it is not about us. It’s about Him.

Here is one more quote from Rick Warren:

“The most common mistake Christians make in worship today is seeking an experience, rather than seeking God. They look for a feeling, and if it happens, they conclude that they have worshiped. Wrong. In fact, God often removes our feelings so we won’t depend on them. Seeking a feeling, even the feeling of closeness to Christ, is not worship.”

In the class I took last month from Bill Hull he shared a quote about worship. The story is that as a woman was leaving church she commented to a friend, “I didn’t really care for the worship today.” Her friend replied, “That’s alright, we weren’t worshiping you.”

Here is a good article on how authentic worship can be used by God to touch the lives of seekers.

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