The Good Worshiper
I was reading the parable of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10:25-37 and was stuck by something Jesus did. The religious guy trying to justify himself asks Jesus who qualifies as his neighbor.
Rather than telling him how to qualify someone as your neighbor (hence being required to love them), Jesus tells him how to BE a neighbor.
Often, we talk about what worship is and what it isn’t. We get hung up on what true worship should look like. We take stock of the “biblical accuracy of a song” (or the reputation of its songwriter). We spend energy on all the things associated with worship. I’ll put it into context.
“But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And what is worship?”
In reply, Jesus... taught him to be a worshiper.
We know what worship is - our response to the revelation of God (thanks, Matt Redman.) We also know that it’s more than a song. (thanks again, Matt) We know that our heart, soul, mind, and strength given to the LORD in a life of love are also worship.
But what does it mean to be a worshipER? Now THAT’S an intriguing and vital question!
We must answer it because we’re called to a way of being, to a way of life. The Father is seeking worshipers, and we must know what one is so we can be one. Otherwise, we’ll get caught up in “worship,” and in our preferences, our theology, our planning, our... and may miss being who He is seeking.
So what is a worshiper? These phrases will start your thinking.
I’m more caught up with expressing than evaluating.
I’m more concerned with being wholly given TO Him than I want to receive FROM Him.
I have a Psalm 84 highway to Zion in my heart.
I’m a worship dork, so I don’t care what I look like to anybody watching.
I’ll give, and I’ll hold nothing back. (thanks, Smalltown Poets)
I don’t belong to myself. I belong to Him.
I worship the LORD according to His design (in Spirit and truth.)
I have a regular habit of gathering with other worshipers.
I bring to the LORD things that are personally costly to me.
I’d challenge you to answer the question, “What is a worshiper?” You can answer in your journal, talk about it with your team at this week’s rehearsal, or share your insights with the Fertilizer community by commenting below. (Bonus points if you create a Good-Samaritan-like parable to teach who the true worshiper is!)
-Dave Helmuth
(purchase my book, "Worship Fertilizer: (the first hundred)" HERE)
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