Bible Reading: Exodus 20:3-5
Exodus 20:3-5 tell us the first two commandments. These two commands go hand-in-hand, “You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything...You shall not bow down to them or worship them…”
What do these commandments mean?
God is to be our only God and we are to worship Him alone.
What does it mean to worship God?
To worship God is to honor Him, to be devoted to Him, to extol Him and make Him great in the eyes of all people. To worship God is to love Him above all else, to give Him top priority in our lives, to put His plans, His desires, and His purposes ahead of all other things. To worship God is to spend time with Him and to respond to His presence.
Worship starts in the heart, moves to the head, and then is made visible through our words and actions. For example, our heart urges us to sing to God, pray, or attend church. Our mind translates those urges into plans. We consider ways to act on those urges. Finally, we put those urges into action by bursting out in songs of praise to God, talking to God with words of supplication or intercession for ourselves and other people, or climbing into our car and driving to a Sunday church service.
Everything we do or say can be worship, if we do or say it with the purpose of celebrating who God is, what God does, has done, or will do, and exhibiting an attitude of gratitude and awe for those things.
My prayer today is that you and I will faithfully worship God every moment of every day in all we do and say.
“Jesus answered, ‘It is written: “Worship the Lord your God and serve him only.”’” Luke 4:8
Prayer: Heavenly Father, You alone are worthy of my worship. Help me faithfully worship You in all I do and say. In Jesus’ name. Amen.