Worship You Can Experience!

Actually it is said that we may not know how to define worship but we know it when we see it. A better way to look at this important aspect of our existence is that really in order to define worship we must experience it. In the experience we find the different facets or elements of genuine worship. For our discussion today I will once again refer to the work "Christian Worship" by Franklin M. Segler. When I have heard from time to time, someone usually a yong person say that worship is boring I wonder if it is because of the mystery involved. After all, when you and I as adults look at a video game or some generational television show we also may use the word boring. It could be that we just don't have a clue as to its purpose or point in the game or show. Maybe also someone that feels that way about worship just hasn't gotten basic understanding or the content and purpose of the experience. Here is a little help:
"Celebration" Worship is essentially celebration of the acts of God in history. God's creation; God's providence; God's convenant of redemption; God's redemptive revelation through Jesus Christ in the incarnation, the cross and the resurrection." "Worshippers worship in appreciation for what God has done." "Martin Luther said, 'To have a God is to worship him.'"
"Life, Worship is not limited to acts of devotion, rites, and ceremonies. For the Christian worship is synonymous with life." Evelyn Underhill in her work "Worship" suggests that we think of the "whole life of the universe, seen and unseen, as an act of worship, glorifying God as its Creator, Sustainer, and End." "Acts of worship are more meaningful if the whole of life is devoted to God."
"Dialogue, God is revealed to the worshippers spirit through the Bible, through persons in the fellowship of believers, through music, through symbols, through human actions, and through God's Spirit. Humankind responds to God through words and music and acts of celebration and dedication." It is really a give and take dialogue between God and we his people. In some ways it is actually involving even the rest of creation in the experience. Segler goes on to say it is more than conversation it is encounter where God confronts and makes demands upon the worshipper. Meaningful worship leads to decisive expeiences with God."
"Offering, The purpose of worship is not primarily to receive blessings from God but to make offerings to God. Ancient peoples presented offerings in the form of sacrifices." The Old Testament was full of admonitions to bring offerings for sacrifice. The New Testament also emphasized giving as a part of worship. "Worship is primarily the offering of our total selves to God, our intellects, our feelings, our attitudes, and our possessions. Our outward gifts are the result of our inward dedication. . . What God wants is ourselves."
"Eschatological fulfillment, according to Gerhard Delling, in "Worship" in the New Testament, "It is, in its very essence, the cointinuing decisive working out of our salvation in history, which ends in the eternal adoration of God." "In worship we anticipate the coming time when we shall be gathered together around God's throne in heaven." A lot of words but maybe this will help us know about WORSHIP! steve