Worship

Worship (by David Peterson)

While in Jerusalem, and only a few days before His capture and Passover, Matthew 26:10-13 records the following: “But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, ‘Why are you bothering the woman? For she has done a good deed for Me. For you always have the poor with you; but you do not always have Me. For when she poured this perfume on My body, she did it to prepare Me for burial. Truly I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told in memory of her.’”

Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus, applied expensive perfume to Jesus’ head to show her devotion, love, and genuine worship for Him. Jesus warns that He will not be around much longer and He is the higher priority in worship.

Scottish reformed theologian Sinclair Ferguson once wrote: “It is God who gives us the spirit of worship (Psalm 133:3), and it is what we know of God that produces this spirit of worship. We might say that worship is simply theology, doctrine, what we think about God, going into top gear! Instead of merely thinking about Him, we tell Him, in prayer and praise and song, how great and glorious we believe Him to be!” Ferguson relates that our worship should reflect our love for our Savior in everything we do.

Lyricist Robert Grant wrote the hymn “O Worship the King” in 1833 and the first stanza reads: “O worship the King, all glorious above, O gratefully sing HIs wonderful love, Our Shield and Defender, the Ancient of Days, Pavilioned in splendor, and girded with praise.”

This is a beautiful tribute to our Lord Jesus Christ and some of the reasons we worship Him.

Let us pray: To our King, Jesus, move our hearts to worship you wholly and to increasingly realize all that you do for us. Let us sing your praises incessantly!