Worth It

Read

Psalm 95:1-7 (BSB) “Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song. For the Lord is the great God, the great King above all gods. In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him. The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land. Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker; for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care. Today, if only you would hear his voice,”

Think

People give energy to what they believe is worth it. Fans will stand outside in bad weather for a game. Someone will practice the same difficult section of a song fifty times because the performance matters. You will stay up later than you planned when the conversation matters enough.

The word worship is connected to worth. Psalm 95 calls people to sing, bow down, and kneel before God because of who he is. The actions make sense because God is worthy.

Sometimes worship can become something we judge mainly by how it made us feel. Was the song good? Did I like the style? Did I feel something? Feelings are not bad, but worship is not mainly a review of the experience. The center of worship is God, not us.

Psalm 95 points to God’s greatness, his creation, and his relationship with his people. The writer keeps giving reasons to respond. That is a helpful habit when you do not feel especially worshipful. Start by remembering who God is. He is Creator. He is faithful. He is holy. He is the shepherd who cares for his people.

Think about thanking someone who helped you in a huge way. You do not thank them because you are trying to create a feeling. You respond because what they did deserves a response. Worship works similarly. We remember God’s character and his grace, and our response grows from that truth.

There will be days when worship feels powerful and days when your mind wanders. Your feelings can change quickly. God’s worth does not. You can worship when you are excited, tired, confused, or disappointed because worship begins with who God is. Before asking, “Do I feel like worshiping?” ask a better question: “Is God worthy?”

Apply

List his worth – Write down five true things about who God is or what he has done. Use Scripture if you need help. Read the list slowly and thank him for each one.

Pray

God, you are worthy whether my emotions are strong or quiet. Help me remember who you are instead of making worship all about how I feel. Open my eyes to your greatness, goodness, and care. Let my response come from truth. In Jesus’ name. Amen.