Songs, music, instruments, singing, clapping, and lifting hands; bowing down on our knees are all important expressions of our worship. But it is important to understand that they are not worship alone. So what is worship? Worship is the lifestyle that you and I as Christians are to live every moment of every day. “Therefore I urge you, offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God for this is your spiritual act of worship.” (Romans 12:1-2)

The first mention of the word 'worship' appears in the book of Genesis when God asks Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac. Isaac was all Abraham had. He was the embodiment of every promise that God had given to Abraham and in asking him to sacrifice him, God was asking Abraham to lay down his whole life, his future and his dreams in obedience to God. Abraham agreed and knowing what he was about to do said to his servants: “Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you.” (Genesis 22:5)

Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice was his act of worship; and that is what true worship is, laying down our lives, our hopes and dreams, preferring the will of God to our own. God stopped Abraham before he went through with it because He saw that He was first in Abraham’s life. In laying down our lives and living out a lifestyle of worship we show God that He is first, that Jesus is Lord of our life.

Roger Aubrey