What Happens When We Stop Worshipping God?

Scripture

20For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God. 21Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused. 22Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools. 23And instead of worshiping the glorious, ever-living God, they worshiped idols made to look like mere people and birds and animals and reptiles.  Romans 1:21-23

Observation

Paul makes it clear that no one has an excuse to deny God because He has revealed Himself through all of Creation.  The only appropriate response to the God who made all we see is to “give him thanks.”  What happens when we stop thanking and worshipping God? When we stop looking for signs of God around us we begin to look within us. The result of a heart that doesn’t worship God is worship of self. A mind that isn’t focused on God grows dark, confused, foolish and inventing new ways of sinning (vs. 30).

Application

The Romans 1 description of the depravity of man reads like a daily description of our modern day Hollywood gossip sites. Everything we read God condemns is everything our cultures celebrates! Every idol in our lives is simply a poor counterfeit of God- a god we can control, a god made in our own image. It quickly becomes the creature over the Creator!  When we stop worshipping God we see ourselves as gods. If we are gods it means we can make up our own rules about sex, relationships, and how we treat our fellow man. We don’t have to feel guilty or convicted because our own idol always agrees with our liquid definitions of right and wrong. Worship preserves our hearts and focuses our minds on what matters most. Creation is a giant sign pointing out the obvious fact that the One who made all of this made me. It’s good for us to feel small. I remember I was in the valley at the bottom of Smith Rock in Bend, OR.  A grueling hike 3000 feet up and everything that seemed so big from the valley looked so small from the top.  Then, as I flew home I was literally looking down on Smith Rock through the airplane window and what had seemed so big from the top of that rock now looked so small.  This is the perspective worship, thankfulness and gratitude brings us. God is looking down on what I’m looking up at.  When we worship up we receive His fresh perspective.  Right now we are seeing the looming threats all around us.  It’s being repeated in the 24/7 news cycle and though its an insurmountable mountain to us, it’s a mole hill to our God.  The shorter Westminster Catechism asks the essential question: What is the chief end of man? Man’s chief end is to worship God and enjoy Him forever. (1 Cor. 10:31; Rom. 11:36; Ps. 73:25-28.) In other words we were made to worship. When we stop worshipping God we start worshipping ourselves.

Prayer

I’m so thankful for daily reminders of Your greatness. In a world inventing new ways to sin I pray that I would invent new ways to worship You! If I stop worshipping You I’ll begin to believe the lie that I’m bigger than I am and that I need You less than I actually do. Worship and thankfulness keeps me standing at the bottom of The Rock of my salvation looking up and standing in awe at the God You are!  Worship moves me from self pursuit to pursuing Your heart above all else.