I’ve been attending a charismatic church for almost thirty years now, which means I’ve seen things. Flags. Shofars. Tambourines that have done more spiritual battle than most theologians. People dancing in the aisles, shouting “Amen!” like their lives depend on it.
It’s beautiful. It’s passionate. It’s alive.
And… it’s also still a little foreign to me.
Because deep down, I’m still a Presbyterian. You know, the “frozen chosen.” We clap on beat – once. We sing like we’re apologizing for taking up air. Our idea of “getting wild in worship” is singing the third verse of a hymn. So while my charismatic brothers and sisters are shouting, weeping, and raising their hands to heaven, I’m over here trying not to knock over my coffee while I mumble “thank You, Lord.”
And yet, here I am. Decades in. Still showing up. Still worshipping. Still realizing that maybe – just maybe – worship is way bigger than whatever my hands are (or aren’t) doing.
The Angels Never Get Tired
I am currently studying Revelation – because nothing says “light devotional reading” like dragons, beasts, and cosmic warfare, and I keep coming back to this image of worship in heaven.
John describes millions of angels surrounding God’s throne, crying out: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty – the one who always was, who is, and who is still to come!” (Revelation 4:8).
They never stop. Ever. No breaks. No “next song.” No “thanks, everyone, we’ll see you next Sunday.” Just nonstop adoration.
It’s breathtaking – and honestly a little exhausting to think about. I can barely make it through three worship songs before my mind wanders to what’s for brunch. These beings do it for eternity.
That’s when it hit me: maybe the problem isn’t that I’m bad at worship. Maybe my definition of worship is too small.
So What Actually Is Worship?
The dictionary calls worship “to honor or show reverence for a divine being or supernatural power.” That’s… fine. It’s accurate, but it’s also about as thrilling as decaf coffee.
Biblically, though? Worship is so much more.
The Hebrew word shachah means “to bow down, to prostrate oneself.” We’re talking full-body submission – forehead to the floor. Not polite reverence. Total surrender.
The Greek word proskuneō means “to kiss toward” or “to show homage.” The image is one of total devotion – heart bowed low, saying, “You’re God. I’m not.”
Psalm 95:6 puts it this way: “Come, let us worship and bow down. Let us kneel before the Lord our maker.”
So, worship isn’t just what you sing. It’s what you surrender.
Old Testament Worship: Less Singing, More Sacrificing
In the Old Testament, worship looked a lot different. It wasn’t about volume or vibe- it was about obedience and sacrifice. People worshiped by bringing their best to God: animals, offerings, and feasts. It was costly, personal, and intentional.
But God made one thing very clear: He wanted hearts more than rituals.
1 Samuel 15:22 says, “Obedience is better than sacrifice, and submission is better than offering the fat of rams.”
In modern terms: God doesn’t care how high you lift your hands if you can’t humble your heart.
And then there’s the Psalms – a crash course in worship for the emotionally honest. David and the gang worshiped with singing, crying, dancing, and occasionally yelling at God. Psalm 34:1 says, “I will praise the Lord at all times. I will constantly speak his praises.” Notice: it’s not when I feel like it or when the lighting’s good. It’s at all times.
That’s worship.
New Testament Worship: From Ritual to Relationship
When Jesus met the Samaritan woman at the well, she tried to start a debate about where to worship – Mount Gerizim or Jerusalem. Jesus wasn’t having it.
“The time is coming – indeed it’s here now – when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth.” (John 4:23)
Translation: it’s not about geography, it’s about authenticity.
Then Paul takes it nuclear in Romans 12:1: “Give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice – the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.”
There it is. Worship isn’t an event – it’s a lifestyle. Every act of obedience, kindness, generosity, and faithfulness is worship.
The early church in Acts 2:42–47 got it. They worshiped through teaching, breaking bread, praying, and sharing everything they had. They didn’t separate “worship time” from “real life.” They lived like all of it belonged to God – because it did.
So What Does That Mean for Me (and Maybe You)?
Here’s where this lands: worship is responding to who God is with all that you are – mind, heart, body, and life.
That means when I write, I worship. When I listen, encourage, forgive, or serve, I worship. When I use the gifts God gave me to reflect His goodness, that’s worship. I thank you for allowing me to write this – for me, it’s worship, and I pray that it glorifies Him! Amen!
Colossians 3:23 says, “Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.”
So yeah – if you’re fixing cars, cooking dinner, teaching kids, or scrubbing floors, and you’re doing it as an act of gratitude and service to God—you’re worshiping.
And let’s be honest: sometimes worship isn’t easy. Sometimes it’s quiet, awkward, even uncomfortable. But that’s okay. Because worship isn’t a performance – it’s a posture.
It’s not about the volume of your voice but the direction of your heart.
The Presbyterian Confession
So yes, I still feel a little awkward when the music swells and everyone’s hands go up like a holy wave. But I’m learning that worship isn’t about fitting into a culture – it’s about responding to a King.
The angels in Revelation worship because they have to – they’ve seen His glory up close. But we get to worship by faith, right here in the mess and mystery of life.
And that might just make our worship even sweeter.
So maybe I’ll never dance down the aisle (nobody needs to see that). Maybe I’ll never shout “Hallelujah!” loud enough to rattle the rafters. But if I can live, love, serve, and speak in a way that makes heaven smile – then I’m worshiping.
And really, that’s all that matters.
