Quit Fighting Over Worship Forms

REFERENCE: Psalm 100:1-4 Shout with joy to the Lord, all the earth! 2 Worship the Lord with gladness. Come before him, singing with joy. 3 Acknowledge that the Lord is God! He made us, and we are his. We are his people, the sheep of his pasture. 4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and praise his name.

Observation: It is always amazing how big an issue worship forms are for Christians to fight over. Some want more traditional forms, some want more contemporary forms. Many like worship that engenders quiet awe. Others don’t feel like they have worshipped unless there has been quite and expression of joy and exuberance.

These verse bring such a balance as they suggest how we ought to be worshipping. Certainly, it tells us, we ought to worship with joy. In fact, we ought to find occasion to shout with gladness once in a while. Yet, at the same time, we ought o be looking for worship forms that proclaims that God is Lord, the creator, our owner and boss. We ought to be bowing down to Him in awe and wonder.

Finally, worship should include praise and thanksgiving. We can never fail to remember all that He has done and is doing for us.

Application/Confession: I want to learn how to get the message out that there are many forms of worship and several things we are trying to do (praise Him, honor and submit to Him, thank Him etc.). I want so much to try to get rid of any conflict that would be engendered by worship. God desires that it bring us together, not divide us.

PRAYER: Lord please help Your people to see the unity in worship rather than it’s force for division. Help me to explain better what it is and what You are wanting it to be those who worship You.