I like to play music. A lot. One of my bachelors degrees is in music and voice was my concentration. Needless to say, I sing to myself quite often (feel free to judge). I love writing music, recording music, jamming with friends, and performing. I really, really love performing. The whole world disappears during a 45 minute set with good musicians and a good crowd. Recently, the main focus of my performing (used loosely here) has been on Sunday mornings at church. As the worship director, I’m often leading or supporting in a worship set, and sometimes just producing from from of house. I love that time that I have to bear it all and sing my guts out.

The issue I ran into when I was younger was actually performing during a set like that. Granted, I want to do well and I want the music to be great, but the main focus is to worship, not perform. In this context, that is a somewhat simple idea to grasp. But what about real worship? Is it playing music in front of a crowd? Or is it something more?

This weekend, Pastor Kent Chevalier (@kentchevalier) dropped some hard knowledge on us about worship in regards to Psalm 50 (check the sermon out at WWW.northway.org). The idea that he was driving at is this: does our 1 hour of worship on Sunday match our 167 hours of worship outside of church? We are creatures who were made worshipping; we are always worshipping something, the question here is what is/are that/those things?

To bring some clarity to this idea, that’s look at the first mention of worship in the Bible: Abraham and Isaac. Abraham says to his servants they should stay at the bottom of the mountain while he and Isaac go worship. Did he have an electric guitar and a sound system? No! He had a knife! His worship to God was being obedient and killing his only son, as the Lord had commanded. Similarly, Isaac knew they didn’t have a sacrifice and started to ask his father about it, but was obedient to Abraham and God and allowed himself to be tied to the altar and nearly killed. These men are displaying a life of worship, one that extends to every decision we make. Our worship to God is being obedient, being good stewards of what he has given us and honoring him with our gifts, time, money, actions, etc.

I am not here to say that I always worship God. I am a sinner and I don’t always do what is right. We all are in that same boat. How can we take steps to worship God daily? Start small. I hate that “WWJD” bracelets, but think about it: what would Jesus do when talking to a coworker? On a lazy Saturday afternoon? When an older person is in need? When presented with some responsibility? Do your homework, practice for rehearsal, do the dishes for your wife, pick up the kids for your husband; serve. Worship when it hurts, just like Abraham picking up that knife.

Thoughts?