A Heart for Worship

INTRODUCTION: As we begin to talk about worship, let's start with a mind-boggling thought. As we consider our galaxy, just ours, a scientist suggested this analogy. Imagine a perfectly smooth glass pavement on which the finest speck can be seen. Then shrink our sun from 865,00 miles in diameter to only two feet and place a ball on the pavement to represent the sun. Step off 164 feet to represent proportionately the first planet, Mercury, and put down a tiny mustard seed. Go another 120 feet and for Venus put down a BB. Go about 156 feet further and put down a green pea representing earth. Step off about 216 feet and for Mars put down a pinhead. Sprinkle around some fine dust for the asteroids, then go about 1576 feet and put down an orange for Jupiter. After 2000 feet put down a golf ball for Saturn. Now—over 4000 feet, a marble for Uranus. Another 4700 feet and you get to Neptune. Put down a cherry. We have gone 2 ½ miles and haven't even discussed Pluto. Now on a surface 5 miles across we have a seed, a BB, a pea, pinhead, some dust, an orange, golf ball, marble and a cherry. Guess how far we would have to go on this scale before we could put down another 2-foot ball to represent the nearest star? 6,720 miles before we would arrive at that star. Miles. And that is just the first star among millions in one galaxy. All of these bodies are perfectly synchronized and the most accurate timepiece known to man (Swindol, Come Before Winter, p. 294f.).

Phenomenal. Amazing! The God Who created that and the God Who invaded our space (green pea) to die on a cross for our sin, is the God Who has invited us to worship today. No wonder David asked in amazement, "Why do you care about us humans?" (Ps. 8—CEV). Lord we are in your presence—and we are here only by your mercy and grace. It is only by your mercy and grace that we can worship at all.

The Wise men said—"We have seen His star in the east and we have accepted His invitation. We have come to worship Him" (Mt. 2:2). The presence of God was humanized in Jesus and the wise men encountered Him in worship.

When was the last time you worshiped? You didn't attend worship—you worshiped. You got higher than the platform, the singers, the preacher—you had an audience, an encounter with God. Worshiping Him is the most significant thing that we can do—it is from worship that everything else flows (service, evangelism, missions, etc.). How often do we really encounter the living God, privately or corporately?

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