But, How Do We Proceed?
If seeing and embracing the glory and splendor—the truth—of God is key to authentic worship, how do we become opened to who God is and what God is like? How do we overflow with praise and adoration—inspired by the truth of God’s majesty—personally and in our daily lives? Sometimes it happens naturally, or even by surprise, simply by being opened to the righteous and loving character of the Ground and Source of our Being. At other times, things we do or perspectives we embrace stimulate our capacity to catch a glimpse of the Divine Creator and Lover.
From the Presbyterian Shorter Catechism, we are reminded of the timeless query and response:
Question: What is the chief end of man?
Answer: Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever.
When our lives become opened to the truth of God’s glory and eminence, humbled also by the awareness of God’s presence and immanence, we can do nothing other than to be drawn into spontaneous adoration: praising God for who God is and thanking God for what God has done. Such is the character of authentic worship, and according to John 4:23, God is actively seeking such persons who are willing to worship him in Spirit and in truth. And, this happens in solitude and in community.
Glimpsing the Glory of God in Solitude
As we open ourselves to the glory of God in solitude, we might begin by thanking God for our lives. The life we share is not of ourselves, lest anyone should boast. It is a gift from God—resulting from our parents’ loving union and nurtured by the loving care of families= and communities alike. Before any of us were old enough to walk, someone else fed and clothed us. Even if our upbringing was difficult or jaded by the throes of life, we have a lot to be thankful for. So, in solitude, a place to begin is to thank God for provision, sustenance, and life itself. We would not be who and where we are, were it not for the loving care of others—some of which we are aware, and some of which is beyond our awareness.
So, feeling a sense of gratitude for the gift of life itself is always a good way to begin each day. Thank God for family, friends, health, life itself; God’s provision is beyond what we know or imagine. In solitude, allow your mind to be drawn to God’s goodness and loving presence also in the lives of those around you. Sometimes God’s love, support, and guidance come from those around us. Thank God for them—members of a community; classmates in school; companions in the workplace; neighbors nearby; comrades in an endeavor; strangers in the marketplace—and, express your gratitude to people you meet throughout your day. Gratitude is a gift that is never wasted; it might also be a means of inspiration needed by those with whom you share. An unexpected letter or note can be a special blessing; likewise, a small gift. Bless those who have also blessed you as extensions of God’s presence and love.
Consider also the beauty of the created order. Take walks. Notice trees and sky. Listen to birds; watch them fly and land. Feel the wind on your face. Smell the air. Look closely at bugs. Smell blossoms. With the Psalmist, lift your eyes unto the hills. After all, our help comes from the Lord, maker of heaven and earth (Psalm 121:1-2).
It is also true that by contemplating creation, we glimpse the life-producing character of the Creator. By the works one knows the workman. Jesus used nature-inspired object lessons in teaching about God’s ways and workings; we are well served in doing the same. If you want to know about God’s glory, look at the sky. If you want to discern knowledge and wisdom, note the patterns of day and night: the sun rising and setting. Morning by morning, new mercies we see. As the Psalmist reminds us in Psalm 19,
1The heavens are telling the glory of God;
and the firmament proclaims his handiwork.
2 Day to day pours forth speech,
and night to night declares knowledge.
3 There is no speech, nor are there words;
their voice is not heard;
4 yet their voice goes out through all the earth,
and their words to the end of the world.
In the heavens he has set a tent for the sun,
5 which comes out like a bridegroom from his wedding canopy,
and like a strong man runs its course with joy.
6 Its rising is from the end of the heavens,
and its circuit to the end of them;
and nothing is hid from its heat.
Take time also in solitude to read the Bible on a daily basis. Bible reading in the morning can set the stage for thinking about divine perspectives and insights throughout the day. Bible reading in the evening can rest the eyes and give us wisdom to ponder as we move from waking to sleeping hours. Whatever time of day works best for schedules and energies will be fine, but a reading plan is usually most helpful, even if it is varied from time to time. For more focused reading, a chapter or a short passage can work well; for covering larger parts of the Bible, reading several chapters at a time can also be serviceable. Share reading plans with others. Discuss learnings. Build wisdom upon knowledge. After all, reverencing the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is the beginning of understanding (Prov 9:10).
The most important thing is to design a plan that works for you. If you record your thoughts, either in a journal or by adding notes in the margin, that can also serve you well in building biblical knowledge. And, special verses or passages worth coming back to are worth committing to memory. Those are precisely the texts that become especially relevant to us during times of struggle or crisis, whereby the Author of the inspired text speaks to us existentially—in timely and inspiring ways—when we need it most. Here the words of the Psalm 19 continue to resonate with our devotion in solitude.
7 The law of the Lord is perfect,
reviving the soul;
the decrees of the Lord are sure,
making wise the simple;
8 the precepts of the Lord are right,
rejoicing the heart;
the commandment of the Lord is clear,
enlightening the eyes;
9 the fear of the Lord is pure,
enduring forever;
the ordinances of the Lord are true
and righteous altogether.
10 More to be desired are they than gold,
even much fine gold;
sweeter also than honey,
and drippings of the honeycomb.
Sometimes we find ourselves seeking excitement or something entertaining in our walk, but Isaiah 30:15 reminds us that our salvation lies in returning to and resting in the Lord. In quietness and trust is our strength. Or, as was opened to Elijah as he fled the wrath of Queen Jezebel, he was awestruck in the cave by the earthquake, wind, and fire, but the divine presence was in none of those. Rather, God’s saving presence was manifested in the gentle whisper; and in such, the glory of the Lord is also revealed from generation to generation, and even today (1 Kings 19:11-13).
Celebrating God’s Glory and Presence in Community
In addition to glimpsing the truth of God’s glory in solitude, we also encounter the divine presence in community, as we come together for worship with others. As Jesus promised his followers, where two or three are gathered in his name, he is present in their midst (Matt 18:20). Therefore, the sacramental presence of Christ becomes an experienced reality for each of us, as we come together for worship and table fellowship. In that sense, God’s presence is experienced together in ways that are qualitatively different when we gather in community, which is why we need one another. While seeking God in solitude is essential for spiritual growth, the solitary venture is finally insufficient. We need one another, and it is within community that we share and receive most fully the inspiring reality of God’s loving presence.
Worship is both impressive and expressive. In gathered worship, we receive God’s love in quiet waiting and attentive listening. As the Psalmist exhorts us, “Be still, and know that I am God!” (Ps 46:10). On the other hand, we are also exhorted to express our love for God, making music and joyful noise in celebrating God’s goodness in community. We cheer and shout at sports events; why not also let the feelings roll in our gathered meetings for worship? Of course, euphony supersedes cacophony, but if the sea monsters can praise the Lord in their way (Psalm 148:7), who’s to hold us back from doing so in ours? The point is to sing a new song unto the Lord with authenticity and spontaneity, celebrating the goodness and love of God with our uttermost beings. As Psalm 100 invites us:
1 Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth.
2 Worship the Lord with gladness;
come into his presence with singing.
3 Know that the Lord is God.
It is he that made us, and we are his;[a]
we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
and his courts with praise.
Give thanks to him, bless his name.
5 For the Lord is good;
his steadfast love endures forever,
and his faithfulness to all generations.
Worship as Returning to God the Worth God Deserves
As we glimpse the truth of God’s glory, beauty, character, and love, we cannot help but be drawn into authentic worship and praise. Worshiping in Spirit and in truth is a matter of authenticity—independent of place and form—and yet, it also takes place within contexts of place and form. As we contemplate the beauty and glory of God, as well as his sustaining and redeeming love for us, authentic worship is simply the most spontaneous response of the heart and mind to the One from whom all blessings flow. Genuine worship simply returns to God the worth-ship God deserves, praising God for who God is and thanking God for what he has done. In that sense, our lives themselves become a Doxology of Praise to our Savior, Redeemer, and Lord.
For the earth’s beauty, for joy, for love, for friends, for the Church, for all God’s gifts, may our lives simply become a sacrifice of returning of our loving gifts of grateful praise ot the One whose worthiness is beyond all human measures.
“For the Beauty of the Earth”
Author: Folliott Sandford Pierpoint (1864)
For the glory of the skies,
For the love which from our birth
Over and around us lies.
Refrain:
Lord of all, to Thee we raise,
This our hymn of grateful praise.
For the beauty of each hour,
Of the day and of the night,
Hill and vale, and tree and flower,
Sun and moon, and stars of light. (refrain)
For the joy of ear and eye,
For the heart and mind’s delight,
For the mystic harmony
Linking sense to sound and sight. (refrain)
For the joy of human love,
Brother, sister, parent, child,
Friends on earth and friends above,
For all gentle thoughts and mild. (refrain)
For Thy Church, that evermore
Lifteth holy hands above,
Offering up on every shore
Her pure sacrifice of love. (refrain)
For each perfect gift of Thine,
To our race so freely given,
Graces human and divine,
Flowers of earth and buds of Heaven. (refrain)
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